Novak Djokovic reveals his priority for 2024 season – ‘That’s where I want to play my best tennis’
Novak Djokovic has revealed that he wants to peak at one major event this year, but unlike in other years it is not one of the Grand Slams.
Instead, the 24-time major winner has set his sights on the 2024 Paris Olympics, which will be staged at Roland Garros from July 27 until August 4.
An Olympic gold medal is the one feat missing from Djokovic’s incredible trophy haul as he has already won the most Grand Slams, most ATP Masters 1000 titles and spent a record 419 weeks at No 1 in the ATP Rankings, among other things.
Djokovic, though, does have an Olympic medal to his name as he won bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games, but he then finished fourth at the 2012 London Games, lost in round one at the 2018 Rio Games and finished fourth again at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
The 36-year-old hopes it will be a case of fifth time lucky at the Olympics this year.
“The Paris Olympics are very important – the Olympics have always been a priority for me,” he said.
“But in the last three or four Olympics, it’s not been possible for me to reach the later stages [the final].
“The situation is a bit different now. We are playing our first Olympics on clay. I want to be ready physically and mentally.”
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The world No 1 has made a stuttering start to the 2024 season as he is 8-3 this year having suffered defeats at the United Cup, the semi-final of the Australian Open and the third round of the Indian Wells Open.
But the focus switches to clay next week as he will take part in the Monte Carlo Masters with everything building towards the Paris Olympics on the clay at Roland Garros.
He added: “It’s all about building my game for clay courts.
“I want to reach my peak for Paris – that’s where I want to play my best tennis. Anything else is a bonus, so let’s see what happens.”
Of course, that doesn’t mean he won’t give his all at Wimbledon as he jokingly stated “there is this little tournament called Wimbledon”.
Recently Djokovic’s former coach Goran Ivanisevic admitted that an Olympic gold medal is something that he yearns for.
“I believe that Novak will find motivation, I am sure of it,” Ivanisevic, who parted ways with Djokovic in March after five successful years together. “I wish him Olympic gold with all my heart, even more than the Slams.
“It’s something that he wants, he feels like he owes it to someone, although he doesn’t owe anyone anything… I wish for him to succeed at the Olympics.”
