The 24-time Grand Slam champion has long since settled the debate over who will conclude their career as the greatest player of all time statistically, having defeated Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in their long-running rivalry.
Some have speculated that now that Djokovic has the Olympic gold medal he was so keen to win for Serbia, his ambition to pursue additional tennis glory may fade soon at the age of 37.
Djokovic has publicly confessed that he has struggled for inspiration throughout 2024, and he has suffered some unexpected setbacks in matches that plainly did not inspire him to perform at his best.
There was a sense that he was staying in the game to have one more shot at Olympic glory, so it’s normal for Djokovic to lose some of his desire to fight on after his last major ambition is met.
However, former British No. 1 Tim Henman has proposed a notion that will please Djokovic supporters, claiming that the greatest winner in men’s tennis history would set new ambitions as he prepares to defend his US Open championship in New York.
Indeed, Henman suggested that Djokovic may be even more calm when he faces Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the final Grand Slam of 2024.
“I just don’t think the way he works means he will believe he has won the gold medal and that’s it,” Henman told Tennis365 at a Vodafone Play Your Way To Wimbledon event.
“He is still very passionate about the game. He enjoys what he does, and things could turn out differently.
“Winning the Olympics may free him up. He may believe he has checked all of the boxes, while I am now toying with the house’s money. He might go out with little pressure as he tries to win another major at the US Open.
“That might be dangerous for the rest because he will play with freedom and while he is fit and healthy, I definitely think he has more major titles in him.”
Henman went on to say that Djokovic’s victory over Alcaraz in the Paris 2024 final was one of his greatest successes, as he won his first title of 2024 at the event he wanted to win the most this year.
“To see what Novak did in Paris, I just think it was absolutely incredible,” Henman told me.
“What he did in that final versus Alcaraz was one of the best performances of his career.
“Pressure is entirely self-inflicted, but Djokovic expressed how much that gold medal meant to him, and realistically, even by his incredible standards, it was his last chance at the age of 37.”
“To beat Alcaraz, who was the French Open and Wimbledon champion was absolutely phenomenal.”
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