Novak Djokovic’s season ended a lot sooner than normal. The 24-time Grand Slam champion performed his final official event on the Rolex Shanghai Masters early final month, the place he hoped to win the one hundredth title of his legendary profession, however his run was interrupted by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner within the ultimate.
The Serbian champion then participated within the first version of the ‘Six Kings Slam’ in Saudi Arabia, by which he was defeated by Sinner within the semifinals after a really spectacular battle. The 37-year-old from Belgrade beat his everlasting rival Rafael Nadal within the ultimate for third and fourth place, by which the 2 nice rivals greeted one another given the approaching retirement of the Spanish legend (the 22-time Grand Slam champion retired on the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga final week).
Djokovic© Djokovic Fb/Truthful Use
Towards all odds, the previous world No. 1 has determined to skip the Rolex Paris Masters and the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, two tournaments by which he was speculated to defend the title he received in 2023. Nole has handled himself to a trip in Maldives together with his household and has made an appointment for subsequent yr, guaranteeing that tennis continues to be a precedence for him.
Nevertheless, Novak’s 2024 isn’t but formally over. Djokovic would be the final opponent of Juan Martin del Potro’s profession in an exhibition match that can happen in Buenos Aires on Sunday, December 1st.
As everybody is aware of by now, the 24-time Grand Slam champion introduced a couple of days in the past that Andy Murray will probably be his coach on the 2025 Australian Open. The Serbian ace made this very shocking selection, which exhibits his willingness to commit himself to tennis once more and win different trophies.
Djokovic surprises once more
In accordance with many insiders, 2025 would be the final yr by which Novak can aspire to win a Grand Slam title. The previous world number one has to face opponents who’re greater than ten years youthful than him, who shoot very onerous from the baseline and who haven’t any reverential worry.
Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic© YouTube screenshot
Throughout a current interview, doubles legend Nenad Zimonjic mirrored on Djokovic’s selection to rent his former rival Murray as coach: “Novak is a very smart guy in making decisions and his career is proof of that. So whenever he needed something really special in terms of coach and help, he reached out. The results are proof of that and I would say that he knows the best.”
He also added: “This is something new for Andy. All the experience that he had with the different coaches in the past and him being a player going through similar situations on his own, it can definitely help.
Andy is going to be one of the team members there, they’re all together. They have a lot of experience. The whole team together with Novak and to have Andy as an addition, I think, can work out well.”
A very tough 2024
The current world number 7 will play an official tournament before the Happy Slam, where he will hunt for the 11th title of his iconic career. Novak is expected to choose the Brisbane ATP 250, a tournament he only played in 2009, where he will try to find his best shape and win a few matches before the AO.
Despite struggling a lot for most of 2024, the 37-year-old from Belgrade reached a Grand Slam final at Wimbledon, losing only to Carlitos Alcaraz (who had already defeated him in 2023). At the Australian Open, the Serbian ace had been beaten by Sinner in the semifinals, while at the French Open he had to withdraw before the quarter-final match against Ruud due to a knee injury. The US Open was his worst Grand Slam tournament this year, as his run ended in the first week against Alexei Popyrin.
In the same interview, Zimonjic opened up on Nole’s 2024 season: “Earlier this yr I discovered him in a state of affairs the place he was probably not motivated and he was somewhat bit misplaced together with his recreation, having no good outcomes in comparison with 2023 and struggling after Australia this yr.
I managed to repair it fairly shortly and unexpectedly. Novak didn’t have any expectations earlier than Monte Carlo, however the two weeks that we labored collectively earlier than the event helped him attain the semi-finals. These new issues we labored on throughout this era additionally helped him win gold on the Paris Olympics which was his largest objective.”
His superb victory on the Paris Olympics was one of the crucial thrilling moments of all the yr. The entire world paid tribute to the Serbian legend, who burst into tears and admitted how essential it was to win that medal for his nation.