Novak Djokovic runs to play a shot at the net in a practice session on Monday in Rome, Italy. Photo: VCG

 

Novak Djokovic said Monday he had learned a "big lesson" from his US Open disqualification but the volatile Serb would not rule out a similar outburst in the future.

"I understand that I have outbursts, and this is kind of the personality and the player that I have always been," Djokovic told journalists before his Italian Open campaign in Rome.

The four-time Rome winner was speaking for the first time since his dramatic last-16 default in New York after he accidently struck a line judge with a ball hit in frustration.

"I don't think I will ever forget about it, because it's one of these things that stays in your memory for the rest of your life," said Djokovic. "Of course, I'm not perfect. I have flaws.

"Obviously I went through ups and downs in my career, managing to control my emotions more or less.

"It's a lot of intensity and a lot of pressure. You have to deal with all of that. 

"So sometimes the situations like this happen. I cannot promise or I cannot guarantee that I will never ever do anything similar to that in my life. I don't know. 

"I mean, I definitely am going to try my best that something like that never happens again, obviously."

Djokovic squandered a golden opportunity to add to his 17 Grand Slam titles in New York, with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer both absent from the tournament. 

"I'm working mentally and emotionally as hard as I'm working physically, trying to be the best version of myself on the court and off the court," he said. "But anything is possible in life. I'm going to take this in as profound as possible for me as a big lesson."

"Of course it was very hard for me to accept right after it happened," continued the 33-year-old.

"For a couple of days I was in shock, and I was shaken by the whole default thing.

"I checked with [the line judge] after the match. She said that she was fine. No big injuries... But, yeah, I mean, it was totally unexpected and very unintended, as well, of course to hit her. 

"But as I said, when you hit the ball like that, as I hit it, you know, you have a chance to hit somebody that is on the court... The rules are clear, so I ­accepted it, and I had to move on. I have my first chance here in Rome."