Djokovic has expressed the desire to continue playing tennis for many more years
Before winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, Novak Djokovic had a very difficult season. The former world number 1 had struggled to play at his best and failed to win even a title in the first part of 2024.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion had had a knee surgery at the French Open and returned in time for the Wimbledon Championships, where he was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in the final. The 37-year-old from Belgrade continued to work hard and took his revenge at the Paris Olympics, where he won the gold medal beating Alcaraz in the final. Novak certainly played the best tennis of his season and was finally able to fulfill the dream he had all his life.
Djokovic has expressed the desire to continue playing tennis for many more years and did not exclude his presence at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, when he will be 41. Nole is still very competitive at high levels, even if the rise of young champions like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner has forced him to find new solutions on the tennis court.
Nole should not be underestimated
Novak Djokovic’s year has zero ATP titles, as it never happened in the last 19 years of his career, but he will probably be remembered by the Serbian champion as one of the most positive since he started playing tennis. Merit that gold medal at the Olympics, pursued for a lifetime, stroked but always escaped. Until this edition of Paris, where Nole finally managed to wear the most precious metal around his neck, despite a physical condition still not quite optimal after meniscus surgery. The efforts in Paris forced him to give up the Master 1000 of Cincinnati, tournament in which he triumphed in the last edition and of which will not defend the 1000 points conquered.
Jimmy Connors spoke about the success at the Olympic Games against Carlos Alcaraz, commenting on the value of this medal for the 24-time slam champion in his podcast Advantage Connors. The former American tennis player explained how, in his opinion, the Olympic gold was the crowning of an extraordinary career for Djokovic.
“Probably this gold medal is as important to him as his first Wimbledon or US Open, because he has done the others, you know, he has won all the Grand Slams and many other tournaments. But winning the gold medal, for him, is like icing on the cake” commented the former number one in the world. The eight-time slam champion added: “Almost three hours of play, 7-6(3), 7-6(2), the type of tennis they produced, what do you expect?”
The Serbian tennis player should return to the court for the last Slam of the year, at the Us Open, Major in which he defends the title, to try not to interrupt a six-season streak with at least one Slam on the line. The former world number 1 will try to break new records in the coming years, to make his career even more legendary.
Djokovic has worked hard
On social media, top coach Patrick Mouratoglou reflected on Djokovic’s current status: “I think that Novak can still play three or four years at the highest level. The real question is about his motivation. I think he really struggled with motivation until the Olympics. Everybody felt like it was the end for Rafa. Novak felt it too, for sure it hit his motivation really hard, but after that Rafa came back on clay, his level and I think this gave extra motivation to Novak.
Sinner started to play great, Alcaraz again [played great]. I think it touched his ego and he came back really strong and finally won the title that he was chasing all of his career, which was the gold medal at the Olympics to complete his collection of trophies. So what is going to happen now in the future? He’s in great shape, he plays unbelievable tennis. He is ready to compete I think [for another] two, three, four years at the highest level.”
Djokovic, Alcaraz and Sinner will be the three big favorites at the US Open – the last Grand Slam of the season – which will be played in New York at the end of August. Novak will have the most points to defend, having won the title last year beating Daniil Medvedev in the final.
Alcaraz reached the semi-finals in 2023 losing to Medvedev, while Sinner stopped in the round of 16 against Sascha Zverev. The Italian ace has made a huge leap forward since the US Open 2023, winning his first Grand Slam in Melbourne at the beginning of 2024 and becoming number 1 in the world.
Novak Djokovic, Paris 2024© Arturo Holmes / Staff – Getty Images Sport
Novak Djokovic, Cincinnati 2023© Matthew Stockman / Staff – Getty Images Sport
Novak Djokovic© Maja Hitij / Staff Getty Images SportFollow us to see more useful information, as well as to give us more motivation to update more useful information for you.
Source: Tampa Bay Times
