Djokovic has already achieved almost everything he can in tennis, but 2024 presents a golden opportunity

There’s little or no left for Novak Djokovic to attain in tennis.

The character of the 36-year-old’s persona implies that any query of him being the “undisputed” GOAT is up for debate.

However the numbers inform a special story.

Twenty-four grand slam singles titles.

Three profession Grand Slams.

Forty Masters titles.

Seven ATP Finals wins.

All are information for a males’s participant.

But, there are all the time extra titles to win. Extra summits to overcome.

As a result of the one factor that Djokovic doesn’t possess is an Olympic gold medal, one thing that will probably be on provide this yr in Paris.

“Nicely, you may win 4 slams and an Olympic gold,” Djokovic informed reporters after successful the ATP Finals in Turin final yr when requested about his plans for 2024.

“I’ve all the time the very best ambitions and objectives. That is not going to be completely different for the subsequent yr.”

What Djokovic is speaking about is a golden slam, the rarest potential feat in skilled tennis.

Profitable a calendar Grand Slam: The Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open is a tremendously onerous feat.

Solely two males within the historical past of the sport have managed it: American Don Budge in 1938 and Australian legend Rod Laver, twice, in 1962 and 1969.

Three girls have accomplished it: Maureen Connolly (1953), Margaret Court docket (1970) and Steffi Graf (1988).

Including an Olympic gold into the equation is even rarer, partly as a result of shortage of alternative. 

It has solely been achieved as soon as by an ready bodied participant, German legend Graf in 1988.

Dutchwoman Diede de Groot (wheelchair singles) and Australian Dylan Alcott (wheelchair quad singles) are the one different singles gamers to win a calendar golden slam, which have been each achieved in 2021.

That is to not say Djokovic hasn’t come shut.

On 4 separate events, 2011, 2015, 2021 and 2023, he gained three of the 4 essential titles, reaching the ultimate within the different slam within the later of these three.

Throughout 2015 and 2016, Djokovic grew to become the one male participant except for Budge to carry a non-calendar yr grand slam when he held all 4 main titles directly.

However the status comes with successful all in the identical yr. A status that can solely be added to if he wins an Olympic gold medal.

“The drive that I’ve continues to be there,” Djokovic mentioned final yr.

“My physique has been serving me properly, listening to me properly. I’ve an excellent group of individuals round me.

“Motivation, particularly for the most important tournaments in sport, continues to be current. It nonetheless conjures up me to maintain going.”

Djokovic does have an Olympic medal, incomes a bronze in 2008 in Beijing — the yr Rafael Nadal gained his singles gold — however the immortality of summitting Olympus has, up to now, been past him.

As an apart, a singles gold eluded Roger Federer throughout his profession, though he did win gold in doubles in Beijing with Stan Wawrinka, and misplaced within the 2012 closing at Wimbledon to two-time Olympic singles champion, Andy Murray. 

So, evidently, the duty that faces Djokovic is actually monumental.

Other than that incontrovertible fact that not even he has gained all 4 slams in a single yr, the strain of coming so shut in 2021 almost destroyed him.

Seeing him bury his head in a towel and sobbing uncontrollably with a recreation to go in his straight units defeat by the hands of Daniil Medvedev underlined simply how a lot strain he was beneath.

“I actually did my finest within the final 48 hours to not enable the significance of the second and what’s on the road get to my head,” Djokovic mentioned after successful that US Open.

“Two years in the past that is what occurred, and I underperformed and I wasn’t capable of be at my finest and I used to be outplayed.

“So I realized my lesson.”

Ought to he win at Melbourne Park, after which the French Open, then Wimbledon, he might want to return to clay — his least favoured floor and the one place the place he has a shedding document in grand slam finals — with a view to win gold.

Lengthy-time rival Nadal, in the meantime, will probably retire after this yr, however will little question be concentrating on an Olympic gold at a venue the place he has already loved a lot success, successful the French Open on the courts of Roland Garros a exceptional 14 instances.

However first issues first. Australia, the place Djokovic has loved nearly unparalleled success since his first title in 2008.

Since that yr, Djokovic has gained 10 of the 15 tournaments he has performed at Melbourne Park.

Profitable an eleventh will see him tie Court docket for probably the most ever Australian Open titles.

He does have competitors — after successful 19 matches in a row following his Wimbledon closing defeat, Djokovic has misplaced three of his subsequent 9 — together with twice to Jannick Sinner.

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The 36-year-old has lengthy complained of the types of niggly accidents widespread to many prime athletes who pound their our bodies to inside an inch of their limits week in, week out.

However the wrist concern that he picked up in Perth, mixed with the rising critics of the balls getting used Down Underneath, would possibly trace at an rising drawback.

“I managed to play by. It isn’t the primary time or the final time, this stuff occur. You simply must handle,” Djokovic mentioned of the damage.

He did want an damage timeout in that opening United Cup match although, in addition to one in his subsequent defeat to Alex de Minaur through which he mentioned the damage had “fairly an influence” on his serve and forehand.

Then there’s the competitors, which is surging and rising in confidence towards the legendary Serb.

Towards his established rivals inside the highest 10 similar to Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, Djokovic has gained at the very least two thirds of their contests.

Towards rising skills Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune and de Minaur although, that win charge falls to 60 per cent or decrease, albeit from far fewer matches.

That is to not say Djokovic is nervous although.

Over the previous three years his document at grand slams stands at a ridiculous 65-3. 

Of the ten most up-to-date slams he has competed in, he has gained seven.

The numbers are, frankly, absurd.

So Djokovic was inside his rights to say that his first ever defeat to de Minaur is not going to have “a lot” of an influence on the upcoming Australian Open.

“I knew that I am in all probability not going to be at my 100 per cent bodily, emotionally, mentally, game-wise, within the opening week of the season,” Djokovic mentioned.

“Neither did I would like that, to be trustworthy.

“It is all a part of the build-up for the Australian Open, you understand, in order that’s the place I wish to carry out at my finest.

“It is by no means good to lose a match, in fact, nevertheless it’s probably not going to stick with me a lot.”

In fact it will not.

In any case, historical past is beckoning.

Observe the Australian Open with ABC Grandstand, which will probably be calling the motion by way of the ABC Pay attention app and abc.internet.au/sport, whereas ABC Sport on-line will probably be working a weblog of all of the motion from Melbourne Park.