This year, Novak Djokovic wanted to perform better, particularly in the Grand Slam competitions. The former world number one did not perform well in the key tournaments in 2024 and revealed some chinks in his storied armor.
He had won three Majors in 2023 and lost the Wimbledon final after an intense match with Carlos Alcaraz.
The 37-year-old Serbian champion had to choose which competitions to attend because he is not as powerful as he was a few years ago.
Furthermore, he is facing new challenges due to the ascent of emerging champions like as Carlitos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. The Italian ace beat the Serbian in the Australian Open quarterfinals earlier this year, and the Spaniard beat him once again in the Wimbledon Championships final.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion needed surgery after suffering a knee injury during the French Open. Given that Nole’s greatest desire was realized when he won the gold medal in the Olympics in Paris, his season cannot be viewed as a failure.
Novak had an almost flawless tournament, which was capped off by an incredible showing against Alcaraz in the championship match.
The 37-year-old from Belgrade has proven why he is a modern-day sports icon, despite being the clear underdog in the eyes of the bookies and playing on his opponent’s preferred surface.
A tough season
Many wonder if Nole will be able to stay motivated at this point in his career. The 24-time Grand Slam champion knows that next year will be decisive and that – if he does not win a Major next year either – the hypothesis of retirement would begin to become concrete.
During a recent interview with Sportklub, former World No.4 James Blake commented on Novak’s future: “Physically, he is still in perfect shape. Now the only question is whether he wants to.
He has done everything and won everything in this sport. Does he still want to sacrifice everything to continue being the best? He’s been doing that for almost 20 years. If he wants to, he’ll have a good year or two ahead of him.
His tennis is incredible even at 37. The question is not whether he can, but whether he wants to. If he wishes, he will be a candidate for the Grand Slam titles until the age of 40.”
Nole is still not satiated
The former world number 1 is likely to miss the Nitto ATP Finals this year, especially after Taylor Fritz reached the final at the US Open. ATP legend and top analyst Mats Wilander paid tribute to Nole: “It’s complicated to play on clay in the middle of the season and not have a single match before the US Open. It’s quite amazing that he won 24 Grand Slam titles considering the following – when he’s not playing so well, suddenly his shots seem ‘normal’ compared to others.
Roger Federer’s serve and slice, Rafa Nadal’s powerful spin, and Novak’s tendency to get a little out of rhythm on the court can make some feel a little more at ease. That makes it even more amazing that when he’s in shape, he outperforms everyone. This merely serves as a reminder that he is still a person. This year, his primary objective was to win gold at the Olympics. Despite having knee surgery during an unfavorable period, he managed to win the gold. This setback simply serves to highlight how much more prepared he will be for the Australian Open and the finish of the season.
“It’s not usually like that, Popyrin was an outsider, but you could feel the love and respect that the crowd had for Novak, particularly because he was trying to return without losing his cool,” he said. However, the absence of any “burn” indicates that he did not feel the ball as strongly as he ought to have. I’ve experienced that emotion before, and while it’s simple to say, “Hey, I should get stuck, get fired up,” you just shrug and say, “Oh, God,” if you don’t feel the ball. Motivating oneself when you’re not performing well is difficult.
As Djokovic attempts to win his 11th championship in Melbourne, the 2025 Australian Open will be crucial to his goals. Although the current world number two has demonstrated that he is never fully recovered from his recent record-breaking exploits, he is also starting to show the effects of aging. In order to try to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, fans and insiders are eager to learn how many tournaments Novak will participate in this season finale. Shanghai’s Masters 1000 is likely to be his next official competition.
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