Fight for the last big goal. Insatiable Djokovic braces himself against a creative crisis
April 10, 2024, 1:05 p.m
This year it is not Novak Djokovic who is making the headlines in the tennis world. Two top talents are shaking his throne. But the Serb doesn’t want to give up his prominent position without a fight, especially since he’s still chasing his big dream.
Novak Djokovic met with Rohan Bopanna under a coniferous tree in Monte Carlo and chatted about age. “We are old, but still good,” said the 36-year-old Serb and the 44-year-old Indian with a smile. Old, but gold. Simply “good” seems like an understatement, Djokovic and Bopanna are the best in the world in tennis. As of Monday, the Serbian top star became the oldest professional ever to be at the top of the ATP rankings in singles. Bopanna can claim the same in doubles. And yet the moment is different for the two exceptional talents.
Bopanna only reached the zenith of his career in the late autumn, triumphed in Melbourne for the first time at a Grand Slam in doubles and thus climbed to the top of the world rankings. Djokovic, on the other hand, has recently slipped into a noticeable creative crisis after years of dominance – and is in danger of losing his prominent position. Above all, the Italian Jannik Sinner and the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz are shaking his throne.
The insatiable perfectionist fights against this with all his might and even separated from successful coach Goran Ivanisevic. He then set himself a very clear goal: it should be gold in Paris – unlike his old rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, he is still missing a triumph at the Summer Games. “The Olympics were always a priority in my career, but I never made it to the final.” That should change in what is probably his last chance – and he sees the best conditions for himself on sand within sight of the Eiffel Tower.
So Djokovic is working as hard as ever to be back in top form as defending champion at the French Open by the end of May at the latest. This is followed by Wimbledon, the Olympics in Paris and the US Open. “I want to be mentally and physically ready in these three months,” said the Belgrade native, who is getting closer to the Masters in Monte Carlo. Djokovic won his opening match in the Principality convincingly 6:1, 6:2 against the Russian Roman Safijullin. “I think all the work and dedication to the sport and my body is paying off,” he said afterwards. Still with that sparkle in her eyes.
2024-04-10 11:05:00
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