Novak Djokovic needs to think carefully about his schedule

Novak Djokovic’s 2024 is not easy to assess at this point. The Serbian champion has won his worst tournaments in career at the Grand Slam and has not yet won an ATP title, beginning to show some signs of decline at 37.

Former world number 1 lost to Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open semi-final, had to retire at the French Open after suffering a knee injury in the match against Cerundolo, was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the Wimbledon Championships and eliminated by Alexei Popyrin in the third round of the US Open.

The 37-year-old from Belgrade struggled to find the right motivation this year, he opted for a very short schedule and is likely not to qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin. Despite a season that was anything but brilliant, Nole has fulfilled his greatest dream by winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion concentrated all his energy on that event and played an incredible final against Alcaraz on the iconic Philippe Chatrier. The current world number 2 had been dreaming of that moment his whole life and burst into tears after the match point. Many wonder if Novak will be able to find new motivation at this point in his amazing career.

Nole needs time

Djokovic’s performance this year was much lower than in previous seasons and the rise of young talents like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner has helped limit his triumphs.

During the latest edition of his podcast, ATP legend Jimmy Connors opened up on Nole’s current status: “He went from the grass to the clay with all the hype and pressure of winning the Olympic gold. Then to come back on hard courts, he hasn’t prepared by playing any matches. These young kids, once they get a feel that you’ve lost that aura around you, that you’re unbeatable and that they have a chance, a lot of these kids, they see that now. And that’s what happened.

We always talk about this. You’re getting a little bit older and you’re either going to have to train harder, work harder, sacrifice, whatever. These kids, they’re on it, they’re on your tail. And sometimes it’s hard for a guy like Djokovic, being 37, week after week to get to that point. But I don’t think you can ever count him out.”

The coming year will be a game changer for the former world number 1, who will try to add at least one more Major to his board. Tennis legend Mats Wilander also reflected on Novak’s future: “I think the way he explained his feelings in the press conference was fantastic. It’s tough to compete on clay in the middle of the season and arrive at the US Open without having played a hard-court match.

It’s impressive how Djokovic has managed to win 24 Grand Slam titles and doesn’t have that identifying trait in his tennis that Roger and Rafa had, but he can seem invincible when he’s at his best. Defeats like this are a reminder that he is a human being. Of course, he would like to win everything, but he needs time to rest and prepare properly. He will return to his best form in Australia.”

He continued: “We must stop being surprised when he loses and appreciate that a man of his age keeps winning major tournaments as he deserves. It’s amazing what he has been doing throughout his career. Physically, I don’t see him as older, and mentally, he seems more intelligent every day. I believe he will continue to play and win two more Grand Slam titles.”

Djokovic’s schedule

The 37-year-old from Belgrade will try to help Serbia in the Davis Cup tie against Greece, which will take place on 14th and 15th September in Belgrade. The 24-time Grand Slam champion will also play the Masters 1000 in Shanghai after a long absence, a great news for all Chinese fans.

The Serbian legend will be one of the protagonists of the Six Kings Slam, a very prestigious exhibition that will take place from 16th to 19th October in Saudi Arabia. In addition to Nole, there will also be Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune.

Djokovic will have to defend many points in the last part of the season, as he won the Paris-Bercy Masters 1000 and the Nitto ATP Finals last year beating Jannik Sinner in the final. It is unclear whether the Serbian will decide to further reduce his schedule to focus on next year or if he will play more to regain confidence.