Novak Djokovic is ‘still the favourite to win the Grand Slam titles this year’, says Olympic champion
Nicolas Massu has asserted that Novak Djokovic is “still the favourite” to win the three remaining Grand Slam titles this year after missing out at the 2024 Australian Open
The former Olympic champion described what Djokovic achieved in his amazing 2023 season as “something incredible” and pointed to the fact the Serbian remains “extremely physically fit.”
Djokovic suffered a four-set defeat to world No 4 and eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals of the Australian Open last week – a loss that ended his 33-match winning streak at the tournament.
The world No 1 had one of the finest campaigns of his glittering career in 2023 as he claimed three of the four Grand Slam events and was also a runner-up at Wimbledon.
The 36-year-old won seven of the 12 tournaments he entered last year and secured a record-extending eighth finish as the ATP year-end world No 1.
Massu, who won gold medals for Chile in both singles and doubles at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, lost his two career meetings with Djokovic in 2006 and 2007.
The 44-year-old Chilean, who retired from playing in 2013, coached 2020 US Open champion and former world No 3 Dominic Thiem from 2019 to 2023.
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In an interview with Serbian outlet SportKlub, Massu argued that Djokovic’s defeat at the year’s first major has not made him lose his status as the man to beat in Grand Slams.
“Novak is still number one in the world, he is still the favourite to win the Grand Slam titles this year. He is extremely physically fit. Last year he achieved something incredible,” the former world No 9 said.
“I respect Novak a lot and have known him for a long time. I remember that he won his first title against me, in Amersfoort in 2006, and here he is still at the top. I’m sure he can still win Slams.
“The other guys, you know the ones I mean, have great chances, they are among the favourites for the Slams, but the same goes for Novak. It will be an interesting year, I’m sure of that.”
Marion Bartoli, a champion at Wimbledon in 2013, is another former star who recently backed the 24-time Grand Slam winner to react strongly to his Melbourne disappointment.
“He is a player who arrived worn and tired from a year 2023 which was exceptional for him. Now, we know that he has four big deadlines remaining: the three remaining Grand Slam tournaments and the Olympic Games,” Bartoli told RMC Sports.
“There, he will take a break and recharge his batteries with his family and then he will prepare for Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the Olympics, which will be a very tough sequence since we change surfaces twice, and he will prepare for background on that.
“And even if the young generation is pushing, it is obvious, for me, [his] defeat remains an accident. We cannot say that this is the end of Djokovic, it is far too premature to get into that. He actually missed his Australian Open but he won’t miss his season, I can guarantee you that.”
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