“I wish that I could have gotten at least a Grand Slam title or won a big title, but it’s fine, you know… it is what it is,” these were the words of Novak Djokovic after enduring a shockingly trophyless 2024 season, a rare blemish in the 24-time GS winning legend’s illustrious career. It was the first time since 2017 that the Serb maestro went through a full season without a major title. However, when you’re one of the greatest ever to grace the sport, even a so-called “underwhelming” season is a matter of perspective, isn’t it? So, despite the setbacks, Djokovic still received a prestigious award just for his efforts last season: one so meaningful that it even brought his father, Srdjan Djokovic, to tears!
Though Novak’s Wimbledon and AO performances in 2024 weren’t disastrous on paper, he eventually ended up without a title, a stark contrast to his dominant 2023 season, where he boasted an incredible 27-1 record at the Grand Slams. Few could have foreseen such a shift at the start of the new season in 2024, but rising stars like Jannik Sinner, who is now out of play because of a suspension, and Carlos Alcaraz surged past him on the sport’s biggest stages. Adding to the frustration, the Serbian GOAT seemed primed for a deep run at the Roland-Garros, only to have his quest for a fourth French Open title cruelly cut short by a meniscus injury in the quarterfinal.
Uncharacteristic hurdles became a recurring theme for Novak, with surprising defeats to Luca Nardi at the Indian Wells, Alexei Popyrin at the US Open, and Alejandro Tabilo at the Italian Open shaking up his 2024 season. Moreover, his losses to Sinner (AO and Shanghai) and Alcaraz (Wimbledon) were more one-sided than their previous encounters, raising concerns about the shifting power dynamic at the top of the ATP power rankings. However, interestingly, Djokovic was recently declared the “best athlete of 2024” by the Serbian Association of Sports Journalists at the RTS Gallery in Serbia, where his father, Srdjan was present to accept the award on his behalf.
Novak Djokovic was named the best 2024 athlete by Serbian Sports Journalists Association, and his father was very emotional receiving the award on his behalf
“He remained what he was at the age of six.
He’s an amazing kid, now he’s going to be 38 in May.”https://t.co/UfUoO0ZaPY
— C Kristjánsdóttir ● (@CristinaNcl) March 1, 2025
“I am happy and proud to be the father of the greatest athlete of all time. Don’t be afraid to say it because, by all indicators and criteria, he is the best athlete in history. Say it freely—those who don’t allow you to say it are wrong. Nothing was easy, but he turned every hardship into something positive. He is an incredible child, and this May, he will turn 38 years old,” Srdjan said. And, of course, there are some special reasons why he received that award!
Djokovic’s 2024 season may have been Slam-less, but his crowning achievement came at the ‘City of Love,’ where he finally captured the elusive gold medal at the Olympics. After four previous attempts yielding only a bronze, the 37-year-old delivered a stunning performance in the gold medal match, edging the title favorite Alcaraz in two masterful tiebreakers, 7-6(3), 7-6(2). This triumph made him the oldest Olympic singles champion since tennis was reintroduced in 1988 and just the third man to complete the ‘Golden Slam.
Djokovic also reached a record-extending 37th GS final at Wimbledon last year and the AO semi-finals and finished the season as the World No. 7. With an 80.4% win rate (37-9), he still did enough to be named was named Serbia’s Best Athlete for a record 11th time now.
However, Novak seems to be facing significant challenges in 2025, starting with an injury-forced withdrawal from the AO, followed by a shocking R32 exit at the Qatar Open recently. However, the Serbian legend has a golden opportunity to regain momentum and climb the rankings as he prepares to return to familiar territory for the Masters 1000 tour.
Novak Djokovic returns to American hard courts
Novak Djokovic is carefully managing his tournament schedule in the latter stages of his career, aiming to strike the right balance between staying injury-free and maintaining match sharpness throughout the year. That strategy, however, didn’t go as planned at the Australian Open last month, as he was forced to withdraw from the semifinals against German Alexander Zverev because of a hamstring injury.
Now back to full fitness, as it seems, Djokovic is set to return at the first ATP Masters 1000 event of the season: Indian Wells, where a significant ranking boost awaits the Serbian. With only 50 points to defend from last year’s shocking early exit against Luca Nardi, a title win at the BNP Paribas would see him add 950 points to his tally and claim his sixth ‘Indian Wells’ crown.
Can the Serbian clinch his first title of the season at the Indian Wells and extend his overall titles tally to 100? What do you think?
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