Novak Djokovic will face Jannik Sinner today in the semi-finals of the ‘Six Kings Slam’, the tournament-exhibition in Saudi Arabia that offers a monster prize money of 6 million for the winner. The two champions met just four days ago in the final of the Masters 1000 in Shanghai, where the Italian ace prevailed in two sets confirming he is the best player in the world at this time.
Novak Djokovic, Shanghai Masters 2024© Stream screenshot
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has lived a special season, in which he was not brilliant from the point of view of the level of play not winning even a title, but realizing his great dream of winning the gold medal for his country. Against all odds, the former world number 1 has triumphed at the Paris Olympics without losing a single set during his run. The 37-year-old from Belgrade has failed to win the 25th Grand Slam title of his legendary career, but he has already promised that he will try to achieve this feat next year.
It will not be easy for Novak to win another Major with two young champions like Sinner and Alcaraz taking the upper hand, but the Serbian ace has already shocked the world many times and will try to write new pages of tennis history before retiring. No one knows yet what Djokovic’s schedule will be after the ‘Six Kings Slam’ in Saudi Arabia, as Nole has not assured that he will participate in the Masters 1000 in Paris-Bercy.
Djokovic is the only survivor
With the retirement of Rafael Nadal after the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, Novak Djokovic will be the only survivor of the legendary club of the Big 3 that made tennis history. 66 Slam titles in three and a twenty-year dominance on the entire ATP tour, monopolized by the three champions.
Novak Djokovic, Shanghai Masters 2024© Stream screenshot
Regarding the GOAT theme, always debated among experts and fans, former tennis player and current commentator of Eurosport Mats Wilander has expressed his opinion that Djokovic “survived” the years of domination by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on men’s tennis, Taking a place of absolute importance in the Olympus of tennis.
According to Wilander, Djokovic is “taking a different journey” in the final part of his career. “I think Novak is going a different route than other legends like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. He has surpassed them in Grand Slam victories and virtually all records that are worth counting. So I think there is no threat, of course, from Rafael Nadal towards Djokovic. Or at least, I don’t think so now. I think he told us all: ‘Hey, I want to keep playing because these guys, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and the others, are so good and push me to be better and better and better.’. Maybe he’s no better than he was, but for him he is giving his best every day, and he manages to do so even after the knee surgery” explained the former number one in the world.
The seven-time slam champion added: “I think Novak will feel very proud. I mean, in a sad way, but he lived through the storm. Yes, he’s younger than both Roger and Rafa, and Andy Murray and he, I think, are the same age or pretty close, but he survived all this. He is the most successful tennis player ever. I think he will be proud of it”.
The Swede concluded: “I think he sees more than anyone else the effect that Federer and Nadal have had on Alcaraz, Sinner and the guys behind him. I think Novak felt the effect of the two greats, Rafa and Roger, more than any other player. This will make him feel very good because he was a part of it. And the effect of Novak is very evident when it comes to the physicality of all players today”.
New goals
The 37-year-old from Belgrade will try to win another Grand Slam title, especially at the 2025 Australian Open, a tournament in which he has triumphed 10 times. In the latest edition of the ‘AO Podcast’, tennis legend Todd Woodbridge reflected on Nole’s chances in Melbourne: “He’s coming into a very different and unusual phase of his career because the way he’s chosen to not play as many tournaments, his focus is on the majors.
Novak Djokovic, Shanghai Masters 2024© Stream screenshot
He actually comes in as a bit of an underdog in all of these players we’re talking about as title contenders because of that, and he didn’t win a major this year. I think it’s probably going to bring him freedom in the way that he approaches it, and he’ll enjoy that.”