Novak Djokovic is probably the most profitable tennis participant of all time, and his capacity to interrupt each file has actually shocked the entire world. Virtually nobody thought that the Serbian champion may surpass two legends like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal within the all-time rating of the Slams, however Nole by no means gave up and his perseverance allowed him to beat his limits.
The 37-year-old from Belgrade has received 24 Grand Slam titles and remains to be motivated, though he has not received a single title this season. The previous world No. 1 misplaced the Wimbledon Championships closing to Carlos Alcaraz and gave the impression to be down from earlier years, however reiterated that tennis remains to be a precedence for him at nearly 38 years previous.
2024 gave Novak one of many biggest joys of his profession, having allowed him to win the gold medal on the Paris Olympics in the course of the summer time. Djokovic has by no means hidden that he has been chasing that objective all through his profession and triumphing in his final participation within the Olympics had an much more particular worth.
The Serbian legend didn’t play the final occasions of the 2024 season, eager to relaxation and put together nicely for the upcoming season. Nole will play a match in early 2025, earlier than touring to Melbourne for the Australian Open.
Djokovic just isn’t afraid
Regardless of being the tennis participant who has received probably the most within the historical past of this sport, Djokovic has had a tough time receiving the credit score he deserves. There isn’t any doubt that Novak is much less cherished by followers than Federer and Nadal, whose rivalry has transcended tennis. Novak has by no means been afraid to show himself and make very sturdy statements, not like his two nice rivals.
In a protracted interview with ‘Tennis365’, former participant Conor Niland defined why he appreciates Djokovic greater than Roger and Rafa: “I might have favored to have seen Rafa Nadal converse out a bit bit extra for a few of the guys ranked between 100 and 300 gamers.
Generally I felt with Rafa that if you weren’t on the high of the sport he wasn’t .
In contrast, Djokovic has spoken up for gamers who’re struggling to make their manner on the tour financially, however Federer and Nadal haven’t actually executed that.
Djokovic appears to grasp that it’s lopsided and it wants a bit of labor, so he deserves some credit score for that, however he has divided opinion much more.
At instances, folks didn’t like him even when he was doing nothing unsuitable as he was disrupting the Federer and Nadal’s iconic rivalry.
Then it was the vaccine difficulty, the chaos in Australia when he was deported and at a time when everybody was actually divided, he stoked the hearth a bit at the moment.”
Nole remains to be hungry
The 24-time Grand Slam champion desires to win the 2025 Australian Open, understanding that it is likely one of the tournaments through which he has the most effective probability of reaching one other success. Novak has triumphed ten instances at Melbourne Park and has all the time expressed his finest tennis on these courts, though he was eradicated by World No.1 Jannik Sinner within the semifinals in 2024.
The opposite match on which the Serbian is ‘betting’ is definitely the Wimbledon Championships, through which he reached the ultimate this 12 months regardless of the precarious situation of his knee. It’s tougher for Nole to win his twenty fifth Grand Slam title on the French Open or the US Open, the place there are a number of opponents who’re in higher place than him.
There’s a variety of anticipation to see what Djokovic’s draw will probably be in Melbourne, as he will probably be seeded quantity 7. The Serbian legend could must face Sinner, Alcaraz or Zverev already within the quarterfinals within the first Main of the season.
On the most recent version of the ‘Inside-In’ podcast, former World No.1 Jim Courier spoke about Novak’s future: “Novak, I feel, will proceed to remain round and be an issue for the highest guys. However it is going to be as much as him how a lot he’s going to interact with them, and it is definitely not going to be on a full stage. So, this 12 months is, no query, a giant shift. All 4 of the Majors went to the youth.”
The Serbian ace’s final win in a Grand Slam match was on the 2023 US Open, when he got here very near finishing the ‘Calendar Grand Slam’. If he hadn’t misplaced the Wimbledon closing to Carlitos Alcaraz, the legend from Belgrade would have reached this unbelievable milestone as nicely. Djokovic had already come near that objective in 2021, when he misplaced to Medvedev within the US Open closing.