Tennis maestro Novak Djokovic, at 36, shows no signs of slowing down as he caps another extraordinary year with his historic seventh ATP Finals triumph on Sunday.
Djokovic, maintaining his status as tennis’ unrivalled number one player, achieved numerous milestones this season, elevating his Grand Slam count to 24 and claiming the top spot in the year-end world rankings for the eighth time.
In an impressive display in Turin, Djokovic comfortably defeated rising stars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Looking ahead to 2024, Djokovic sets his sights on the one major title missing from his illustrious career in the Olympics in Paris.
When asked about his ambitions in tennis, Djokovic quipped, “Well, you can win four Slams and Olympic gold.” He affirmed his unwavering drive and motivation, expressing, “I have always the highest ambitions and goals. That’s not going to be different for the next year, that’s for sure. The drive that I have is still there.”
Djokovic emphasized his continued motivation for the sport’s premier tournaments, including Grand Slams and Finals, and highlighted the upcoming Olympic Games as a significant goal for the next year.
The Olympics, scheduled from July 26 to August 11 in Paris, present a unique challenge as they follow closely after Wimbledon and precede the US Open. Djokovic acknowledged the demanding schedule, navigating different surfaces from clay to grass, then back to clay and finally to hard court.
The vanquished finalist, Jannik Sinner, praised Djokovic as an “inspiration” during the trophy ceremony. Djokovic and his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, predicted a bright future for Sinner, foreseeing Grand Slam victories and a rise to the top of the world rankings. Sinner, expressing his admiration for Djokovic, sees him as a model for achieving sustained success in tennis.
Reflecting on Djokovic’s career trajectory, Sinner stated, “It’s not only about watching one season. You watch this season, and you say, OK, I played well.
But you have to play well every season, and you have to get to a certain age, which is 35, 36, 37, whatever, and you can still feel the body in the right way.” The Italian player’s performances at the Pala Alpitour have instilled optimism within Italian tennis for his promising future.
