Olympic gold, but no majors – 2024 so far for Djokovic
In 2024, Djokovic has had his worst results at the majors for seven years
Chryslene Caillaud / Panoramic
Olympic gold, Wimbledon final, Australian Open semi-final, Roland Garros quarter-final, Monte Carlo semi-final; for most players, this list of accomplishments would make for a superb career, let alone for a single year. However, Novak Djokovic is definitely not most players.
After his third round exit at the US Open, this season marks the first time since 2010 that the Serbian superstar has failed to win a major title after participating in all four events. To put it in context, Djokovic had one major at the time. Is it a ‘blip’? Maybe. However, a decline cannot be overlooked, with the 24-time major champion looking just a step slow in the majority of events played this year.
Australia and the clay season
Novak Djokovic came into 2024 fresh off three major titles and stunning back-to-back performances v Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at the ATP Finals. As with most years, Djokovic sought to start his season in the best possible way, in the country where he has had most success: Australia.
The Serb suffered his first defeat down under v Alex De Minaur (6-4, 6-4) in the quarter-finals of the United Cup, and appeared to have wrist discomfort which caused his groundstrokes to be less venomous than usual. After a short off-season, a defeat to in-form De Minaur was not especially concerning, even less so if the minor wrist discomfort was what stopped him from giving his usual 100%.
At the Australian Open, Djokovic has dominated the event, winning it on ten occasions. In the early rounds, the then-defending champion still looked a bit out-of-sorts, lacking his usual energy and fire – losing sets to Dino Prizmic and Alexei Popyrin, before scraping by Taylor Fritz to make yet another semi-final. Jannik Sinner would await, with the Italian taking the first two sets 6-1, 6-2 against an emotionless opponent who managed to serve his way to a third set tie-break, save a match point, and clinch the set 7-6(6) – letting out a huge roar. The animalistic emotion would prove to be the last for Djokovic, with Sinner breaking early and taking the match 6-3 in the fourth, marking the first loss over the Serbian at the Australian Open since 2018. After the match, the unlucky semi-finalist called it one of his: “worst ever” matches at a major. Time to be concerned?
Djokovic next appeared on the tour at Indian Wells, where he had not played for five years, and spoke out about feeling more confident about his chances after feeling very good in practice. However, it was not to be, with the Serb losing to world No 123 – and lucky loser – Luca Nardi (6-4, 3-6, 6-3) in the second round. The Italian was the lowest ranked player to defeat Djokovic at Masters 1000 level. Time to be concerned?
During the pre-Roland Garros clay season, the Serb made the Monte Carlo semi-finals for the first time since 2015, eventually losing out to the experienced Casper Ruud (6-4, 1-6, 6-4). A loss to a two-time Roland Garros finalist was not unexpected nor something to be concerned about. However, in his second clay court event, Djokovic would lose to 6-2, 6-3 to Alejandro Tabilo in the third round of Rome. The loss marked two concerning statistics: the second time Djokovic had failed to produce a break point on clay during a completed match, and the first time since 2006 that he had failed to make the quarter-finals in Rome. Subsequently, the former No 1 entered the ATP 250 event in Geneva, falling to Tomas Machac 6-1 in the third in the semi-finals, provoking worry amongst tennis fans after appearing to tremour during the change of ends, and looking out-of-breath after some points.
Heading into Roland Garros, Djokovic made clear in his first press conference that the poor form had changed what he was to expect from the second major of the year, where he was the defending champion:
“I have to lower the expectations. When I say that I mean, maybe not thinking too much ahead in advance in terms of the tournament and who I might face in the later rounds, but really taking it day by day, step by step, and really building my game. Because that’s what I have really been struggling with, not really playing in a consistently good level”
I have to lower the expectations
Djokovic on his poor results and form heading into Roland Garros
Despite lowering expectations, Djokovic stormed through his first two matches in the French capital, before meeting the dangerous Lorenzo Musetti in the third round. The pair put on a historic match which finished at 3:07am local time – the latest ever finish at the clay major – and, in classic fashion, the three-time Roland Garros champion prevailed 7-5, 6-7(6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 and seemingly came ‘back from the dead’, physically. After a four-and-a-half hour epic, one could expect the 37-year old Djokovic to be up against it in terms of fatigue for his fourth round match v clay courter Francisco Cerundolo. However, the Serb got off to a quick start, taking the first set 6-1 and playing some of his best tennis of the season. Disaster was to strike, with Djokovic seemingly taking a small slip on the back of the court and tweaking his knee, which was seen to by the physio, but left him severely hampered. The Argentinian claimed the next two sets 7-5, 6-3 with some sublime forehands which may have even been too much to handle for a fully-fit opponent. Through sheer will and a tactical masterclass, the then-defending champion turned the match around to win the final two sets 7-5, 6-3.
In the end, Djokovic was found to have a tear in his meniscus which required surgery just a few weeks before Wimbledon was due to start.
Wimbledon – first final of the year
After much suspense and speculation, Djokovic was cleared by his doctors to play the third major of the year. Wimbledon has often represented as a much needed ‘booster’ for the 24-time major champion, with the start of 2024 being his worst start to a season since 2018, and it was in that tournament where Djokovic won his first title and rediscovered his best form.
Similarly, this year’s Wimbledon seen a much sharper and more focused player than in the previous six months, with his serve proving to be the biggest weapon in his arsenal – a great asset on the grass. The Serb battled through two four setters in the second and third round, before meeting No 15 Holger Rune in the final 16. The Dane was argued by many to be a huge danger to the 7-time Wimbledon winner, however, he was no match for Djokovic who produced his best level, arguably, all year and dispatched Rune 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. In the quarter-finals, Alex De Minaur handed a walkover, and an in-form, but exhausted, Musetti was also no match for the former No 1 who booked his place in yet another final at SW19 with a 6-4, 7-6(6), 6-4 victory over the Italian.
The final was a rematch of 2023’s showdown v Carlos Alcaraz, who had prevailed in a classic five-set match to win his second major. 12 months later and, despite making the final, the difference in level between Alcaraz and Djokovic was clearer than it had ever been on the biggest of stages, with the Spaniard being the stronger player in every aspect. Alcaraz especially exploited Djokovic’s second serve and took the match – and the title – 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4).
The loss meant that Djokovic was still without a top 10 victory and a title in the season.
Olympic games and US Open performance
All four majors, all Masters 1000s, the ATP Finals – Djokovic had won everything there was to be won in tennis. That is everything apart from the Olympic gold medal. He had been excruciating close to the final in 2021, where he led Alexander Zverev by a set and a break, before succumbing to a stronger opponent. In 2016, he had been handed a nightmare draw and fell to Juan Martin Del Potro in the first round. On top of the history, clay requires more movement within the knee and the longer points would test the repaired meniscus far more than the slicker grass. History, form, and surface. Everything was against him.
Despite this, Djokovic provided his best tennis for precisely when he needed it most, something which was unusual for him in 2024. He rolled past the likes of his rival Rafael Nadal (6-1, 6-4) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (6-3, 7-6 (3)) to make the first Olympic final of his illustrious career, seemingly unhampered by his knee and hitting his groundstrokes as sweetly as he had in years, not just months. In the final, Djokovic was the firm underdog against the same opponent who dominated him in the Wimbledon final, Carlos Alcaraz. However, for every shot Djokovic had failed to reach just four weeks earlier, he would strike a winner down the line here, appearing unphased by the pressure of the moment. In the end, the sporting legend added yet another accomplishment to his list, prevailing in two tight sets, 7-6(3), 7-6(2) to claim the gold medal. It was his first top 10 and title of the season.
When asked if he had ‘completed’ tennis, Djokovic replied:
“Yes, [my] puzzle, it is [complete]”
With just this one tournament, the newly-minted gold medalist had completely flipped the narrative surrounding his form, and put him as a top favourite for the final major of the year where he was the defending champion.
At the US Open, Djokovic reached the third round, but not with the level he had produced on the Parisian clay weeks earlier. His first two matches possessed the two lowest first serve percentage that he had ever had in matches at majors – 47%. In the third round, Djokovic faced the Montreal champion Alexei Popyrin, who, by contrast, has one of the best serves on tour and possesses a large toolbox of various weapons. Whether it was the defensive baseline play or the net rushing, Popyrin was not just one or two, but multiple, steps ahead of the 37-year old, clinching the match 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
The loss was Djokovic’s earliest at a major since the 2017 Australian Open, and ensured that 2024 will be the first season since 2010 that he has participated in all four majors and not got his hands on any of the trophies. Two stats that are equally concerning, despite the great heights which he reached in the Olympic final.
Looking FORWARD
With Djokovic having finally won the Olympic gold, already having the most majors, as well as most weeks at No 1, his future will only be decided by one thing: motivation.
What other records are there to collect? Connors’ 109 singles titles? The triple golden masters? Overtaking Court’s 24 major title record?
The answer in his future can be summed up in the superstar’s statement from the pre-US Open press conference:
“I still feel the drive. You know, I still have the competitive spirit. I still want to make more history and enjoy myself on the tour. I still hope to inspire many young people to watch tennis, play tennis.”
I still have the competitive spirit
Djokovic on what motivates him
Djokovic wants to continue because he wants to win – whether its majors, Masters 1000s, smaller titles, matches, sets, or even points – because it is what he does perhaps better than anyone else. It is in his DNA. He may have given the sport an immeasurable amount of interest and records, along with Rafael Nadal and Federer, but the sport continues to give him so much, too, and it is the latter part that will keep Djokovic going for a while longer yet.
