Novak Djokovic has lived a very different season from the others. The former world number 1, who played very few tournaments in 2024, has not won a single Grand Slam title this year for the first time since 2017 (and for the second time since 2011). Despite having a hard time in 2024, the Serbian champion has made his lifelong dream come true by winning the gold medal for his country at the Paris Olympics.
The 37-year-old from Belgrade admitted that the Paris Olympics were his biggest goal of the season and fans are wondering how he can find new motivation at this point in his career. It is no coincidence that – after the triumph in the Olympic tournament – the 24-time Grand Slam champion was eliminated in the third round at the US Open.
During the Davis Cup weekend, Novak confided that his schedule is very uncertain for the last part of the season. Nole will play the Shanghai Masters 1000 and the ‘Six Kings Slam‘ in Saudi Arabia next month, while the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin are not her goal. The feeling is that his season could end already in October.
Nole has changed approach
The Serbian ace will rest, spend time with his family and train for the 2025 Australian Open, where he will try to win his eleventh title. Djokovic’s career has always been linked to his motivation and his desire to break all records, two factors that allowed him to break the iconic rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
In a long interview with RTS, the current World No.4 opened up on his amazing triumph at the Olympics: “I always feel the general pressure that I have to win, but also pressure from myself, as I am a perfectionist and I sacrifice a lot to play as best as possible when it matters most. The Olympic Games were my main goal. I was very worried after the knee injury at Roland Garros, but when I managed to play the Wimbledon final, I felt relieved because I knew I would be ready for the Olympic Games. On the other hand, there is a pressure I like to call ‘additional’, depending on my form. Before the Paris final, I hadn’t lost a set, I had beaten Nadal on his turf, although he wasn’t at his best, but beating him in Paris is huge.
I felt the energy and support even from home, so that ‘additional pressure’ was less than usual. In New York, for example, I felt like it wasn’t me on the court, that I wasn’t well prepared, so I felt more ‘additional pressure’ before each match compared to before the Olympic Games final. Simply because of how I felt. Tennis is an individual sport: if you don’t have a solution on a given day, it’s over, you lose. Over the years, that kept me disciplined.”
The 24-time Grand Slam champion is still motivated to continue playing, but he’s not afraid to admit that he will play far fewer tournaments than the rest of his career. Speaking with Sport Klub a few days ago, WTA legend Lindsay Davenport commented on Djokovic’s season: “Big, but that’s normal. I was delighted when he won the gold medal in Paris. If you had asked him if he wanted Olympic gold or all four Grand Slam tournaments, I am convinced he would have said gold. It is without a doubt the best moment in the world of tennis this year. He wanted it more than anyone else, more than anything in the world. And he did all this after surgery and losing the final at Wimbledon. It just shows his greatness.”
Djokovic’s priorities
Nole recently helped Serbia in the Davis Cup tie against Greece, having the chance to play in Belgrade perhaps for the last time in his legendary career. The former world number 1 admitted that it has always been a great privilege for him to represent his country and that he will try to be present in the future.
In a recent interview with Eurosport, former French Open finalist Casper Ruud paid tribute to Novak: “He (Djokovic) is a tough nut to crack and definitely deserves to be called the best of all time. There’s no doubt with all the things he’s won. Djokovic has actually completed every title it’s possible to win. It was great to see him win Olympic gold this season. What he (Djokovic) did there impressed me so much that any doubts I had before disappeared. Even in an injury-plagued season, he’s so strong mentally that he’s capable of coming back.”
