Hey there, fellow tennis enthusiasts It’s your girl Mia Johnson-Carter here, living the dream in Miami. As a young player, I always keep an eye on the top players in the world, and this season has been quite the rollercoaster for Novak Djokovic.
Novak Djokovic, the 37-year-old Serbian champion, recently ended his season earlier than expected. He played his last official tournament of 2024 at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he was defeated by Jannik Sinner in the final. This loss prevented Djokovic from celebrating his 100th title, a milestone that would have been an incredible achievement in his legendary career.
Djokovic also participated in the controversial exhibition called ‘Six Kings Slam’ in Saudi Arabia. There, he was beaten again by Sinner in the semifinals. The final match was against his great rival Rafael Nadal, marking another chapter in their iconic rivalry. Although it’s not officially counted, it was still a significant match for both players.
A few days later, Novak announced his decision to skip the Rolex Paris Masters, where he was supposed to defend his title from 2023. His absence sparked speculation about whether he would play at the Nitto ATP Finals. The uncertainty remained until just before the draw ceremony, when Djokovic announced on his social profiles that he wouldn’t attend due to an unspecified injury. Some fans and insiders felt he was disrespectful for belatedly communicating his decision.
Despite this setback, it seems like tennis is still a priority for Djokovic. He has made it clear that he will play an ATP tournament before the 2025 Australian Open. The most likely hypothesis is that he will participate in the Brisbane ATP 250, where he only played back in 2009. Playing that tournament would help Djokovic pick up pace and confidence ahead of his next major.
In a recent interview during the Belgrade ATP 250, his former coach Marian Vajda opened up about their current relationship: “We often text and talk. We spoke after the Paris Olympics this summer. I was in tears because of his amazing win. It was the culmination of all his work, all his successes, and it was really extraordinary.”
Djokovic will have to find new weapons next year to defeat Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in Grand Slam tournaments. The Serbian ace will turn 38 in 2025 and might have his last chance to win another important title. Jannik and Carlitos have taken control of the ATP tour this year and are set to maintain leadership for many years to come. It will be difficult for Nole to reverse this situation.
During an interview with Eurosport, ATP legend Mats Wilander made an interesting comparison between Sinner and Djokovic: “Sinner is a big-time, big-match player like Novak Djokovic, more so than Alcaraz in a way because Sinner shows up, plays the same way, except better when the pressure is on.”
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