Novak Djokovic: 'Some people did not believe that...'

• Tennis News
• Novak Djokovic

Nick Kyrgios' mother, Norlaila, says the 27-year-old is getting involved in more activities and is happy to see her son enjoying himself on and off the court. Kyrgios, who has reached his first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon, told his story of struggling and overcoming depression and anxiety earlier this year.

This season, Kyrgios has been accompanied by his girlfriend Costen Hatzi at tournaments and he seems more relaxed and happy than ever. It is clear that Kyrgios is doing well off the track and that positively influences his performance on it.

"He's finally appreciating where he is, that's the best part of it all," Norlaila Kyrgios told The Sydney Morning Herald. "Before, it was very difficult for us to get him to do anything. He was happy sitting in his room and playing video games all the time.

His shoulder ached from playing so much. In Beijing we wanted him to walk the Great Wall of China with us. Who wouldn't, right? But Nick didn't want to go. He was happy to sit in his room and tidy up, that's what worried me. I remember in Canada we said, 'Let's go to Niagara Falls' he didn't even want to go there.

Nick wouldn't want to do those things. Wow, there's such a difference now. I see it in his (Instagram) stories. Since this year's Australian Open (in January), he has started to do some things. Because he now understands that life does not revolve around tennis.

Nobody expects it to be like this. He has to enjoy his life. I am very glad that he is doing it now." On Friday, Kyrgios was scheduled to face Rafael Nadal in the Wimbledon semi-final. Unfortunately, Nadal was forced to withdraw due to an abdominal injury and Kyrgios advanced to the final.

Kyrgios will meet in the Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic.

Nole made tennis history

Novak Djokovic said that he drank all the painkillers in the world and did every possible therapy and treatment to recover from the injury he suffered against Taylor Fritz at last year's Australian Open.

"I don't know exactly what kind of injury he (Nadal) has," Djokovic told Serbian reporters. "From what I've heard, it's a torn stomach muscle - but I don't know which one. I experienced a rupture of a muscle on the left side, which ruptured in the third round against Fritz.

I wrote down everything that happened to me at the time, and if your question was aimed at the fact that some people did not believe that it was possible to play with such an injury - I can say that it is terribly difficult.

I drank all the painkillers in the world and did every possible therapy and treatment," Djokovic added. "I was on machines, devices and I noted and recorded all of that in a documentary that will be broadcast by the end of the year. Well, let people watch it and then they will be able to convince themselves of one or the other".