Novak Djokovic joins voices clamouring for night session change

Novak Djokovic has added his voice to the long list of current and former players asking for the late nights at Grand Slams to become a thing of the past.

Floodlit venues are now reluctant to put a cap on the day’s action for fear that it will throw their schedule out of whack.

However, Djokovic isn’t a fan of the late nights and expressed his displeasure after dealing with Grigor Dimitrov to reach the last 16 in Melbourne.

Djokovic when it comes to the schedule.

“I think that players’ input is always important for tournament organization,” Djokovic advocated.

“Whether it’s decisive, we know that it’s not because it comes down to what the TV broadcasters want to have. That’s the ultimate decision maker.

“I would agree with his points. I think we have days when the day sessions go longer, but probably more days statistically in average where they finish, say, 5, 6 max, and you can start night session an hour earlier at least.

“I agree with him,” Djokovic said of Andy Murray’s argument following his marathon match earlier this week.

“I think for us players… For the crowd, it’s entertaining, it’s exciting, to have matches midnight, 1, 2, 3 a.m. For us, it’s really grueling. Even if you go through and win, prevail in these kind of matches, you still have to come

back.

“You have your sleeping cycle, rhythm disrupted completely, not enough time really to recover for another five-setter. Yeah, something needs to be addressed I guess in terms of the schedule after what we’ve seen this year.”

Djokovic came through the third round match against Dimitrov despite nursing a left hamstring injury.

He continues to carefully managed the injury as he bids to become the first man to win the Australian Open ten times.

“Well, it kind of always starts well in last few matches, including this one, and then some movement happens and then it gets worse,” Djokovic explained in his press conference.

“Yeah, pills kick in, some hot cream and stuff. That works for a little bit, then it doesn’t, then works again. It’s really a roller coaster, honestly. It requires a lot of energy that is being spent from my side mentally and physically, as well, to deal with the match with my opponent and also with not ideal physical state.

“But it is what it is. It’s kind of a circumstances that you have to accept. I’m just very grateful that I’m actually able to play. The way it looked just before the tournament started, I thought that it wouldn’t be possible. I’m still here and still holding on.”

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