Rising above reality: How Djokovic bends his mind to succeed

By JOCELYN GECKER and JEROME PUGMIRE
Associated Press

To his critics, Novak Djokovic has been cavalier and reckless in the face of a deadly pandemic. But students of the tennis star’s game note that bending reality has been a secret to his success, until now. The saga playing out in Australia over Djokovic’s refusal to get vaccinated against the coronavirus has cemented his image as the defiant figure in men’s tennis. It’s also made the world’s No. 1 men’s player a hero to the anti-vax movement. In many ways, Djokovic has handled the pandemic like he would a tennis match, ignoring long odds and favoring alternative remedies over traditional medicine. It’s not his first controversy, but it is raising questions about his legacy.