Money not my motivation, insists Djokovic

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Money not my motivation, insists Djokovic

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Djokovic's participation in the Paris Masters was cast into doubt by a shoulder injury.

10 November,2011 02:41 am

World number one Novak Djokovic has laughed off suggestions that he only turned up for the Paris Masters in order to avoid missing out on a $1.6 million windfall.Djokovics participation was cast into doubt by a shoulder injury and, having already pulled out of last months Shanghai Masters, another withdrawal would have cost him his lucrative share of the ATP bonus pool.However, after arriving in Paris on Tuesday, he breezed through his second-round match on Wednesday, beating Croatias Ivan Dodig 6-4, 6-3 to reach the third round.Afterwards, he insisted his only motivation was to finish the season as strongly as possible.To be honest, it was really funny for me to see people coming up with these stories -- I even heard that I would get on the court and only play one game, just to get this money, he said.This is ridiculous. Look, we are all athletes. This is our job. We are all playing to be paid at some stage. This is normal. I dont see whats unusual about that.On the other hand, I came here because I want to compete. I want to play a tournament. If I know that Im physically good enough to be competing, I will compete. If I dont, I will not compete.Its as simple as that. There is nothing else that can affect my decision.Djokovic, whose 10 titles this year include successes at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, will play 15th-seeded compatriot Viktor Troicki for a place in the quarter-finals.