DPA
Berlin
Novak Djokovic still has big aims after another stunning tennis season, with winning an elusive Olympic gold among his top priorities for 2024.
Djokovic won a record seventh ATP Finals title on Sunday in rushless fashion against Italian challenger Jannik Sinner, his seventh trophy in a year that saw him win three more grand slams and reach the Wimbledon final.
The Serb said afterwards that despite his age of 36 his motivation is still high as he entered a record-extending 400th week as world number one on Monday.
“Well, you can win four Slams and Olympic gold,” he said. “Let’s see. I have always the highest ambitions and goals. That’s not going to be different for the next year, that’s for sure.
“The drive that I have is still there. My body has been serving me well, listening to me well. I have a great team of people around me.
“Motivation, especially for the biggest tournaments in sport, is still present. For me, obviously those are Grand Slams and the (ATP) Finals, and next year hopefully also the Olympic Games.”
Djokovic has 98 career titles to his name, including 24 Grand Slams but he is yet to triumph at the Olympics. He won the bronze medal in 2008 while he came fourth in 2012 and 2021 and went out in the first round in 2016.
Djokovic said that doing well at the Paris 2024 Games, with tennis at the French Open venue of Roland Garros, will be tough in a packed summer season.
The French Open on clay run until June 9, Wimbledon starts three weeks later, and then there are only two weeks to adjust back to clay from grass before the Olympic tournament kicks off on July 26, with the men’s final scheduled for August 4.
“It’s going to be very congested schedule with going from the slowest to the fastest surface in sport and back to the slowest. Obviously that’s a very demanding, challenging stretch of the year,” he said.
