Novak Djokovic did not achieve his usual level of success at the four Grand Slams in 2024. However, Jim Courier still thinks the former ATP No. 1 can win multiple more Grand Slams.
Despite turning 36 in 2023, Djokovic defied the odds by enjoying one of the best seasons of his career. He won three Grand Slams and the ATP Finals and finished as the year-end No. 1. Carlos Alcaraz denied Djokovic the calendar Grand Slam by beating him in the Wimbledon final.
2011 and 2015 were the only other years that Djokovic secured three Grand Slams. The Nothing Major Podcast members recently recounted how the 24-time Grand Slam champion pushed a clothing brand to bankruptcy by winning too much, especially in 2011.
However, 2024 has not been as successful for Djokovic. He finished the season with a record-low title count and failed to win any Grand Slams for the first time since 2017.
Yet, Djokovic will still consider 2024 a success because he won an Olympic gold medal in Paris. That achievement had eluded him throughout his career before beating Alcaraz in the gold medal match in August.
Winning the Olympic gold medal means Djokovic has achieved everything in the sport. Some question whether the ten-time Australian Open champion can stay motivated, while others think his failure to collect a Grand Slam this year indicates he will start to decline.
Courier disagrees with those who believe Djokovic’s game is no longer good enough to win more Grand Slams. The four-time Grand Slam winner told the Tennis Channel that a lack of passion would be more likely to stop him.
“There’s nothing in his game or his movement that would indicate he’s incapable of winning multiple majors going forward. It’s all about what’s between the ears and inside the heart, does he have the passion and the fury that drives him? We’ll see.”
Djokovic injured his knee at the French Open and made the Wimbledon final while still struggling with that problem. Courier thinks it’s remarkable that he achieved that and then secured an Olympic gold medal a few weeks later.
“Well, let’s factor in that he might have won Roland Garros this year, right? He’s playing there, he’s starting to find his form — he gets injured.”
“And then it was a miracle for him to even make it to the starting line at Wimbledon, let alone get to the final on basically one leg. And he clearly was not moving at the level he needed to to compete with Carlos in that final. But then, lo and behold, a month later he’s wearing a gold medal, and you could see the difference in his movement from there.”
The two-time French Open winner was surprised that Djokovic played at the Shanghai Masters after not looking as engaged as the US Open, but reaching the final in China also showed how much Djokovic had left to offer.
“But after that, it didn’t seem that he was as engaged when he came across for the US [Open], and frankly I was surprised he played Shanghai. I thought he might just pull the pin on the rest of the season and hit the reboot button. But, went to Shanghai and made the finals there, another good effort.”
