Novak Djokovics career has entered its last part, even if the Serbian legend has no intention of giving up. The former world number 1 did not have a great season, indeed it was probably one of the worst years of his career in terms of victories. The 24-time Grand Slam champion not only failed to win his 25th Major title, but he has not even lifted a trophy this year. The 37-year-old from Belgrade has 'saved' his season by fulfilling one of his biggest dreams, that of winning the gold medal for his country at the Paris Olympics.
Hardly anyone thought that Novak would have achieved such a great feat at 37, in what was probably his last participation in the Games. In fact, Nole has promised that he will do everything possible to be present in Los Angeles in 2028 when he turns 41. It wont be easy for the former world number 1 to keep up with two true champions like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who are a step ahead of him at this moment. The Spaniard has prevented him from winning the last two editions of the Wimbledon Championships, while the Italian ace defeated him at the Australian Open and in the final of the Masters 1000 in Shanghai.
Nole's body is fine
The feeling is that next year will be decisive to see if Djokovic is still able to win the most prestigious titles. The 24-time Grand Slam champion has revealed that he is still hungry and intends to prove it on the tennis court. In an interview with "Talking Tennis", French coach Patrick Mouratoglou today on the bench of Naomi Osaka was asked which player among the "Big 3" - Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic - he would have liked to coach. Mouratoglou chose Novak Djokovic, explaining that the Serbian players physical fitness and high level of motivation were the reasons behind his choice.
"His body - says Mouratoglou - is healthier than the bodies of the other two. There has always been a perception that his motivation to become the greatest was great and if you look at how many Grand Slam tournaments he is winning, you have the answer," the French coach reasoned.
When asked what he would improve in the 24-time slam champions game, Mouratoglou said that the Serbian sometimes "is not aggressive enough". "I think he could have done better, which is hard to say because its the greatest of all time. Sometimes I feel he is not aggressive enough in his game. Probably the man who covered the field as best he could. He has always relied on his responsiveness and a sharp bottom play to outperform his opponent based on power in long trade. Only in recent years has he worked on the serve, drop shots and vole to conclude points earlier than before".
Djokovic's legacy
Novak recently took part in the first edition of the 'Six Kings Slam' in Saudi Arabia, where he finished third. The Serbian ace was defeated by Sinner in the semi-finals after an electrifying battle, before defeating his eternal rival Nadal in the final clash of their iconic rivalry. The 37-year-old from Belgrade is on the entry list for the Masters 1000 in Paris-Bercy, a tournament where he has always had great success, but his presence is still very uncertain.
Despite not having played much this year and not achieving any outstanding results, Nole is in a very good position to enter the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. Last year, the Serbian won both the Paris-Bercy Masters 1000 and the ATP Finals, defeating local idol Sinner in the final.
In a long interview with La Nacion, the former World No.1 spoke about his legacy: I want to leave a legacy that will survive. Of course, I am proud of my achievements on a global level, but I would like my main legacy to be to inspire young people to lead a healthier life through activities, sports, being conscious of what they do, and obviously, if I can, to encourage them to pick up a racket and play tennis.
I would like to see more tennis players because it is a beautiful sport that can bring positive things to your life. It allows you to see the world, something that not all sports allow you to do. If it had not been for tennis I would never have seen so much of the world in my life. In 2025, Djokovic will be the only surviving Fab Four still in existence, yet another sign that an era is about to end.
