Novak Djokovic has decided to end his season by skipping the last two events of the ATP calendar, the Rolex Paris Masters and the Nitto ATP Finals. The Serbian legend mentioned an injury to justify his absence in Turin, but fans and insiders criticized Nole for the way he communicated his choice.
It is evident that – at this stage of his career – the former world number 1 wants to devote all his energy to Grand Slam tournaments and the Davis Cup, giving up second-rate tournaments. The 24-time Grand Slam champion has not played his best tennis in Masters 1000 tournaments this year, only reaching the final at the Rolex Shanghai Masters last month.
Novak failed to win the 100th title of his legendary career, but he will be able to try again in 2025 when he turns 38. The champion from Belgrade has already confided that he will play a tournament before the 2025 Australian Open, in which he will try to win his 25th Major title (his 11th title in Melbourne). Djokovic will be world No. 7 when the Australian Open begins next January, a ‘dangerous’ position ahead of the draw. Nole may have to face Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz already in the quarterfinals.
Nole is looking for a coach
Due to the unsatisfactory results obtained in 2024, the former world number 1 has changed his team during this season. Goran Ivanisevic and Marco Panichi have left the team and Djokovic does not have a coach at the moment.
The Serbian legend is followed by his great friend Carlos Gomez-Herrera. However, fans and insiders are wondering if Nole will hire a new coach for next year.
In a recent interview with ‘Sport Klub’, former Serbian ace and Davis Cup captain Viktor Troicki talked about Novak’s current status: “I am glad that Novak stated that he is 100 percent starting preparations for the new season.
“We saw each other briefly, and I even heard that something was brewing with a new coach, with a big name. I don’t know anything about that. That’s the gossip I heard yesterday, I didn’t hear from him.
If so, I really believe that he is very motivated and wants to come back in the right light next year.”
He also added: “This year, his main focus was on the Olympic Games, and he showed that – when he really wants something, he can make it happen, it was like that before and in his career.
If he trains properly, we can expect many more titles from him. He has time to prepare properly.
I’ve known Novak for a long time and I know what it’s like when he really ‘bites’. That’s how it was at the Olympic Games. You can see it from the first training session, it was the same in Paris. It is recognized in him – he is sharper.
I’m not saying he’s relaxed at other tournaments, but there’s a lot more focus and attention to detail. It is incredible what he has achieved. When he believes in something, he is truly the strongest and there is no equal to him.”
Two impressive rivals
In 2024, Novak has shown that he still has enough level to win major titles. The former world No. 1 reached the final at the Wimbledon Championships despite undergoing knee surgery just a month earlier. In addition, the 24-time Grand Slam champion won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics by defeating Carlitos Alcaraz in one of the most thrilling matches of the entire season.
2025 could be his last real chance to clinch his 25th Major title, although it will not be an easy milestone due to the rise of Sinner and Alcaraz. The Italian ace is superior to the Serbian right now, he has defeated him in recent clashes and is much younger than him. Carlitos is less consistent than Jannik, but his peaks are really impressive. These two players are destined to dominate again next season.
After the ATP Finals semifinal, Casper Ruud suggested that Sinner’s game is an evolution of Novak’s: “With Novak you can play rallies. Not going to say easier to play Novak because he’s the best in the history. At least with Novak you can play more rallies and not be terrified of Novak ripping, like, a bomb down the line or cross-court or these things.”
Ruud continued: “I don’t necessarily like to compare players because everyone has their own style. For me, you don’t realize how fast Jannik plays unless you watch him play live and you’re there in the stadium. On the TV, it’s not fair, the speed.”
