Novak Djokovic has declared ahead of next season that he would like to play until he is 40

The current tennis world number one, Serbian Novak Djokovic, still can’t get enough. Ahead of the next tennis season in 2024, he let the world know that he would like to stay on top until he is 40. Why end up on top too, right?

Djokovic the last of the big four

Gone are the days when Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic ruled the world for a decade. The former is now in well-deserved retirement. Nadal has started his farewell season after a long injury and the British tennis player is still playing, but without much success. So we’ve been beaten by the last big man named Djokovic.

He’s still driven by the desire for success

You could say he has nothing left to prove in tennis. He’s won everything. The best tennis player in history has long been clear. But the 36-year-old has no reason to quit as he is still motivated and wants to continue to write his name in golden letters in ATP history. Even in 2023, he has not been stopped by the young predator Pablo Alcaraz, who is the successor of the clay champion Rafael Nadal. He did take the throne from him for a few weeks, but Novak decisively took it back.

So why quit when even the young predators still can’t keep up with him? Plus, Novak takes inspiration from NFL legend Tom Brady, for example, who lasted until he was 45 to play at the top level. Novak is still driven forward by his desire to win Grand Slam tournaments and also an Olympic gold medal.

However, he will also have to break Jimmy Connors’ record for the most tournaments won on the ATP circuit and win a calendar Grand Slam. Last year, he failed again when he was beaten in a stunning five-set final battle at Wimbledon by young wolfman Pablo Alcaraz.

Djokovic – The man of many records

As mentioned, the Serbian tennis player already has the most Grand Slam titles in his collection. He has spent the most weeks in the lead since the introduction of the ATP rankings. He is the oldest tennis number one in history. He has won the most Masters tournaments. He also has the most Masters Tournament titles. And to make matters worse, he finished the year as world number one the most times.

In 2024, Novak will be almost impossible to beat. Unless he gets injured or has a performance slump. But given how motivated he remains, opponents shouldn’t count on a drop in form.

Let’s see if we will see Nadal – Djokovic duel again this year. Ideally, perhaps in the final of Rolland Garros, which is nicknamed “Nadal’s living room”. The Spanish tennis player himself, however, has tempered the euphoria of his fans that his return may not be like it used to be, as he does not expect to win tournaments immediately after such a long break.

Dominance in 2024

Anyway, let’s see how both players fare at the upcoming Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open, where Djokovic, for a change, has the biggest supply of titles. He will be circling like a vulture on the ATP circuit for at least the next two seasons and collecting more championships, and it will probably be hard to stop him from doing so in the coming season, rather he will only be slowed down from time to time.

Source: ATP