Novak Djokovic sorry for outburst, but his drama is often self-inflicted

Despite his earnest attempts to find peace, commune with nature and heed his inner voice, Djokovic remains too often his own worst enemy

Shortly after arriving in New York last month, Novak Djokovic told me that he genuinely wanted to be here for the United States Open.

He repeated it throughout his stay, which ended much earlier than expected on Sunday as the top-seeded Djokovic was defaulted in the fourth round for unsportsmanlike conduct, after hitting a ball in frustration toward the back wall of the court, which struck a line judge in the throat.

It was unintentional, no doubt, but it was also a rash move that a 33-year-old superstar, so accustomed to living and playing under the microscope, should have learned to avoid