Formerly the world number 2 of the ATP, leading Spanish tennis analyst Alex Corretja has just said that it would be ” a bit surprising ” if Novak Djokovic wins the Golden Slam in 2024, because ” the fact that he is getting older is The normal thing and the recovery process are not the same .” The two-time French Open finalist emphasized that he is ” sure ” Djokovic will continue to win Grand Slam titles, but said things will get ” more and more difficult ” for the Serbian legend.
In the recent impressive 2023 season, Djokovic won 3 out of 4 Grand Slam tournaments. This is the fourth time he has achieved this, following excellent campaigns in 2011, 2015 and 2021. In 2021, Djokovic even won the first three Majors of the year in a historic run, but missed a medal at the Olympics in Tokyo, before losing the US Open final, missing out on the chance to win the Golden Slam.
The 36-year-old will have another chance to complete the Golden Slam (winning all four Majors and an Olympic gold medal in one season) next year – with 2024 being the Olympic year. After winning the 2023 ATP Finals, the world No. 1 tennis player mentioned the possibility of winning the Golden Slam when asked if he could improve this year. “ I can win 4 Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal (smiling). Let’s see. I mean, I’ve always had the highest ambitions and goals. It will definitely be no different next year, that’s for sure ,” the Serbian veteran shared.
To date, no male tennis player has achieved the Golden Slam. Tennis legend Steffi Graf of Germany is the only female player to achieve this incredible feat during her magical 1988 campaign. Former ATP world No. 2, now a respected analyst and commentator, Corretja assessed the possibility of Djokovic achieving a historic feat in 2024: ” I think it would be a bit surprising if Djokovic won a Golden Slam tournament, because even if he improves his game a lot he is still aging. It is normal for him to get older and the recovery process is not the same as before .”
“But at the same time, he has experience and he only focuses on the important tournaments and the tournaments that he feels will make a difference in his life. I’m sure he will continue to win Grand Slams, but it will get more and more difficult and he knows it. And in a way, I feel like the match he lost to Jannik Sinner in the Davis Cup could have been good for him. It was a wake-up call to say, ‘okay, I’m doing something unbelievable, but I can’t relax for a second because some people behind me are going to push me so hard. They are dangerous and they know now they can beat me’.”
