Novak Djokovic speaks to reporters
Novak Djokovic is closing in on qualification for the ATP Finals in Turin, but it seems he has already called time on his 2024 season.
The former world No 1 is sitting in sixth place in this year’s ATP Race standings, with the top eight players securing a place in the lucrative end-of-season finals in Italy.
Djokovic won the ATP Finals for a record-extending seventh time last year, but he has made it clear that his ambition to qualify for this year’s event is limited.
“Torino is not my goal at all, to be honest, I am not chasing ATP Finals, I am not chasing the rankings,” said Djokovic after playing for Serbia in the Davis Cup in September.
“As far as I am concerned, I am done with those tournaments for my career. Whether I will play in other tournaments this year or in the future, I can’t say right now.
“My main priorities are playing for the national team and slams, everything else is less important.”
Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud are among the players scrambling to reach the ATP Finals, but it is increasingly clear that Djokovic was being brutally honest when he said he had little interest in playing in Turin.
With his motivation waning to compete in events outside of the Grand Slams or in the Davis Cup for Serbia, a week in Turin and all the promotion and publicity events players need to take part in before the tournament might not appeal to Djokovic.
Images of the 24-time Grand Slam champion sunning himself on the beaches of the Maldives in recent days appear to suggest he is unlikely to play again in 2024.
Djokovic may be keen to become a part-time tennis player in the final chapters of his career, his desire to play a hugely limited tournament schedule will have big implications to his ranking and also his ability to be in peak condition for the Grand Slams and Davis Cup.
Despite this limited activity, coaching guru Patrick Mouratoglou has suggested Djokovic will still b a threat to win the big prizes in tennis next year.
Speaking exclusively to Tennis365 ahead of the UTS Grand Final in London in December, Serena Williams’ former coach suggested writing off the all-time greats is a dangerous game.
“I think he had a very bad year, but it came after an incredible year,” Mouratoglou told Tennis365.
“Let’s not forget that only last year he won three Grand Slams and played in the final of the other. So we shouldn’t forget that was just one year ago, not ten years ago, just one year ago.
“He won the Olympics which was his main focus this year, beating Carlos in the final, playing fantastic tennis, so he is not far away.
“I think he can beat them (Sinner and Alcaraz). It’s very hard, there was a lot of margin before, but now there is none.
“When he plays them I think anyone can win, but I don’t think he’s far behind. I think he can still win Grand Slams, I’m sure about it.
“For Novak, it’s only about his motivation,” added Mouratoglou.
“I understand that he struggles with it at the moment because all his career was about beating the other two and being better than them, that was the fight of his life in tennis and he won.
“So to keep his motivation now, it’s very difficult. ow that Rafa is retiring, the whole year that was the problem, that’s how I see it, I don’t know if I’m right, but this year for Novak was tough.
“This is because from the start of the season, you could see that Rafa was struggling so much and probably came to his mind, well I won.
“When you fight all your life for something and you finally get it, where do you find the motivation?
“So I hope this difficult year is something he will be able to use to feed his motivation and come back next year as good as the previous one because then we’ll have a fight between those three that is going to be unbelievable and I want to see it.”
