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Djokovic: I feel Olympic responsibility


 

Originally published on: 30/07/12 00:00

The 25-year-old world No 2, who carried Serbia’s flag in the opening ceremony, always enjoys wearing his national colours and says that his recent successes all stem from his experience of winning the Davis Cup at the end of 2010.
    
"I feel more responsibility playing in the Olympics, but on the other hand, there's not much pressure to be honest,” Djokovic said. “It's just a privilege and an honour to play in the Olympic Games and also big motivation, to be able to stand on the tennis court and play for your country.”
    
It was clear from the look on his face that nobody enjoyed the opening ceremony more than Djokovic. “It was an out_ѥof_ѥbody experience,” he said. “It was like being in a trance. I really couldn't remember those five minutes that we were walking around the stadium. It was incredible, walking with 8,000 people into one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world at the Olympic Games.  God knows how many people watched on television.
    
“It was a huge, huge pleasure and responsibility and honour to be carrying the flag for my country.  Maybe you get to experience that once in your lifetime. I wanted to make it worth it. I wanted to smile as much as I could, to enjoy every second of it. I believe it was a marvelous experience.”
    
Djokovic was so keen to fly the Serbian flag that he took it out of its holder and waved it around throughout the team’s circuit of the stadium. He said: “The officials told me: ‘If you want to have the flag in it, you can. If you don't want to, you're not obliged to.’  I said: ‘Let me wave it around’!”

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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.