Djokovic: I thought I would leave tennis, I learned a lesson on the way to the top

At the end of February 2019, Novak Djokovic received an award for everything he did in 2018.

For the fourth time in his career, he was declared the best athlete in the world, the winner of the prestigious "Laureus" award.

"I didn't know what to expect this evening. I was philosophical - 'don't expect anything because that's how you'll get everything'. There are so many great athletes around me tonight, many of you, who are in the audience, warmed my heart with your stories. Your experiences proved to me and to everyone else that fighting spirit and perseverance are always present and that we must always nurture these values. They also proved that sport carries a universal message for everyone. Nelson Mandela, the founder of Laureus, was right when he said that sport has the power to change the world around us," Djokovic said.

He especially thanked his wife Jelena for her support in the most difficult moments.

"Her support was very important to me in moments when I doubted everything, when I was going through dilemmas about whether I wanted to play tennis," Djokovic added.

He once again confirmed that he was seriously considering ending his career.

"Yes, I thought about quitting tennis, oh I wasn't in a good moment then. I thought when I had the operation that I let myself down, it took me a few months to find my purpose. This award therefore reflects my journey not only in the previous 12 months, for three years now, since Roland Garros 2016 to be precise when I achieved the greatest achievement of owning all four Grand Slams at the same time. I felt a huge relief. I wasn't fulfilled then, I tried to understand why, I think it was because I didn't embraced the whole process, as much as it should, as much as achieving that goal required. I realized that the journey would have been nothing without that journey. That's when I understood the concept and meaning of life. That's where the strength lies, I've learned a lot of life lessons in the last three years , especially about myself," said the Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open champion.