Published8. November 2024, 12:32
Tennis: Novak Djokovic promises: tennis remains his priority
The Serbian confirmed that he will be back on the circuit from the first week of the 2025 season.
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Ruben Steiger
Novak Djokovic has not played since the Six Kings Slam exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia in October.
AFP
Two rooms, two atmospheres. Thursday, while the eight qualified for the ATP finals posed at the National Museum of the Italian Risorgimento in Turin for the official photo of the tournament, Novak Djokovic was vibrating in the stands on the occasion of the Euroleague basketball meeting between the Star Belgrade Red and Alba Berlin. Icon of his country, his name was even chanted by the 8,000 spectators.
Qualified for the Masters, the Serbian announced his withdrawal on Tuesday due to an “injury” the nature of which he did not reveal. Already present at the Rajko Mitic Stadium on Wednesday for the Champions League football match between Red Star and FC Barcelona, the best player in history is making the most of his free time.
What can you imagine, at 36 years old, a loss of motivation for his sport after winning the Olympic gold medal in August, the only title missing from his immense list of achievements? No way.
“Tennis remains my big priority,” he told journalist Sasa Ozmo on Thursday at halftime of the basketball match. I’ll be all in during the off-season, we’re going for a ride again. I just needed to recharge my batteries a little after an exhausting season.”
The objective: to become the sole holder of the number of Grand Slam titles
Novak Djokovic has never hidden his desire to continue his career. However, he recently explained that he would favor Grand Slam tournaments. This in order to lift his 25th Major and become the sole absolute record holder. Currently, he shares it with Margaret Court (24 titles).
The Serbian’s plan to achieve his goal in January in Melbourne, where he has already triumphed ten times, is already in place. “I will play competitively from the first week of the season, I don’t know where yet, and then I will go to the Australian Open,” he said on Thursday.
Let his opponents be warned, the last time Novak Djokovic played before the Australian Open was in 2023 in Adelaide. The outcome? Two titles and only two sets lost twelve matches.
