Novak Djokovic already backed in 2024 Grand Slam prediction by three star names

Ewan West
Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic cheers with the trophy after his victory at the Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic has already been backed to win the 2024 Australian Open by former world No 1’s Jim Courier and Andy Roddick, as well as current star Nick Kyrgios. 

Courier likened Djokovic’s dominance in Melbourne to that of Rafael Nadal at the French Open, Roddick reiterated his refusal to bet against the Serb anywhere, while Kyrgios labelled him “basically untouchable.”

Djokovic concluded his 2023 season on the main ATP Tour with his straight-set victory over Jannik Sinner to win the ATP Finals in Turin on Sunday.

The 36-year-old’s record seventh triumph at the year end-championships ensured he had claimed four of the five biggest titles in the men’s game this year. He won three of the four Grand Slams – the Australian Open, the French Open, and the US Open – while he was a runner-up at Wimbledon.

The world No 1 has secured seven titles from just 12 tournaments in 2023 and earned 55 wins to just six losses, giving him a stunning 90.2% win rate. He is set to compete at the Davis Cup Final 8 knockout stage for Serbia this week.

Djokovic holds the record for the most men’s Australian Open titles with an astonishing 10 and is the defending champion, having downed Stefanos Tsitsipas in this year’s final.

The Serbian claimed his maiden Major at the 2008 Australian Open, before winning five of six titles between 2011 and 2016 and adding three straight triumphs from 2019 to 2021.

Speaking on Tennis Channel Live, Roddick, who had backed Djokovic to win in Turin, picked the 24-time Grand Slam winner again for the first Major of 2024.

“This is my boring prediction again, I’m just gonna keep doing it because, I said yesterday and I said three days ago, I’m just not gonna bet against Novak Djokovic,” asserted the 2003 US Open champion.

“Listen, it doesn’t mean I don’t think someone else has a chance, but I will not put my money against Novak Djokovic. And certainly haven’t changed my mind after what we saw the last couple days and what we saw against [Carlos] Alcaraz and Sinner. I go Nole.”

READ MORE: Novak Djokovic labelled the tennis GOAT and world’s best sportsman by Wimbledon winner

Four-time Major champion Courier was in agreement with his fellow American and compared Djokovic’s Australian Open stranglehold to Nadal’s Roland Garros dynasty.

“Betting against Novak in Australia has become almost the equivalent of betting against Rafa at Roland Garros. Rafa 14 times on the dirt. In Australia, it’s 10 times for Novak and he didn’t show us anything today or this week that’s gonna dissuade, I think, any of us from thinking that,” said the two-time Australian Open winner.

Kyrgios, who lost to Djokovic in the 2022 Wimbledon final, completed a full house of pundits predicting the world No 1 to add to his unrivalled Melbourne trophy haul.

“Yeah, boring prediction from me. I’ll take Novak as well. I just think he’s so comfortable in Australia and after last year he was basically untouchable as well. Look, no sign of slowing down,” assessed the 28-year-old Australian.

READ MORE: 7 more era-defining Novak Djokovic stats achieved in historic ATP Finals triumph

Related Articles