After a season below expectations, many are wondering if Novak Djokovic will rise once again and return to win a Grand Slam title. The Serbian champion ended an entire year without winning a single Major title for the second time since 2011, for the first time since 2017.
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The former world No. 1 only reached the final at the Wimbledon Championships, where he was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz three sets to nil in one of the worst matches of his career. The 37-year-old from Belgrade took revenge a few weeks later at the Paris Olympics, in which he fulfilled his great dream of winning the gold medal for his country.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion was visibly excited and moved after achieving that exceptional achievement, which he had chased in vain throughout his career. Nole's level rose in the latter part of the season, where he reached the final at the Rolex Shanghai Masters by surrendering to current world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
Novak did not play the Rolex Paris Masters and the Nitto ATP Finals, preferring to rest and regenerate his body for the start of next season. Djokovic knows very well that he will have to give his best in the off-season to be competitive in 2025, which could be his last chance to win a Major title.
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Nole is still dangerous
The former world No. 1 has high expectations for the 2025 Australian Open, a tournament in which he forged part of his legend. Nole has won ten times in Melbourne, where the surface suits his game almost perfectly. In the next edition, Novak will not be the top favorite but will start the tournament behind Sinner and Carlitos Alcaraz.
During a long interview with Tennis365, former player Conor Niland believes Djokovic is still a contender to win Grand Slam titles: I think hes got another year where he will be competitive in all four Majors. Realistically, it is just one more year, but he showed at the Olympics that he is still capable of beating anyone when he is at his best.
We are starting to see signs that he is slowing down, at last! He has been going on court with the knee strap for a few months now and he is starting to puff a little. Thats understandable at his age.
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Niland also added: Its starting to get more difficult for him and I think it could still happen for him next year, but Sinner and Alcaraz playing at their best is tough to stop.
Djokovic can match them, but it is getting to the point where it is more difficult for him.
Hes been drifting into this space for a while now. You look at his decision not to play in the Nitto ATP Finals and it feels like he is edging towards the end.
Djokovic wants the AO
Nole will be the number 7 seed in the first Major of the new season, which is why he will also have to hope for a draw that is not too tough. The 24-time Grand Slam champion could face Sinner, Alcaraz or Sascha Zverev already in the quarterfinals and it would be a very dangerous clash.
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Motivation is key for Novak at this point in his career. The Serbian legend struggles to play his best tennis in second-tier tournaments, as some shocking defeats suffered this year have shown. His schedule in 2025 will be even shorter than in past years and his focus will be directed only to Grand Slam tournaments (and Davis Cup).
The 37-year-old from Belgrade will certainly play a tournament in early 2025 as a preparation for the Happy Slam. Novak's choice could fall on the Brisbane ATP 250, in which he played only once 15 years ago.
On the latest edition of the Inside-In podcast, former World No.1 Jim Courier spoke about Djokovics current situation: "This next year's going to be super telling. I think it's going to be really telling whether he adds a coach to his team in the off-season and shows up in Australia with a new idea and something new to think about. If he doesn't, he might have one foot out the door. If he does, has some fresh blood in his squad, then I would be bullish on him.
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The former American ace also added: "That was certainly a big moment, I thought, this year, when Ivanisevic departed early in the season and he seemed disinterested in some of the tournaments that he played in, which is understandable when you've done everything there is to do, especially when you consider him getting that gold medal, which was his primary focus.
