Novak Djokovic says he wants to go “full throttle” in the upcoming 2025 season and participate in an event prior to the Australian Open next year.
Since Serbia won gold at the Olympics in the summer, Djokovic has not played much this season. He withdrew from the Nitto ATP Finals and missed the Paris Masters due to an injury.
He concluded the season without winning multiple titles for the first time since 2005 and without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2017.
He does not, however, appear to have any immediate plans to retire and follow in the footsteps of Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic admitted: “Tennis is still my focus… I am going at full throttle in the off-season, we go for another ride. I just needed to recharge and refresh a bit after an exhausting year.”
He added: “I am going to play in the first week of the season, I am just not sure yet where. Then, of course, Australian Open.”
Although Djokovic did not compete prior to the Australian Open this year, he won Adelaide to begin the 2023 season and went on to win the title in Melbourne. His primary goal for the next season is to achieve more Grand Slam success.
“I would like to play the Davis Cup too, let’s see what happens,” he declared.
An ‘ongoing injury’ has caused defending champion Novak Djokovic to withdraw from the ATP Finals. This season, the athlete has already qualified as the sixth most successful player on the ATP Tour, having won a record of seven titles at the event.
Djokovic said: “I was really looking forward to being there, but due to ongoing injury I won’t be playing next week,” Djokovic wrote on social media.”
He added: “Apologies to those who were planning to see me. Wishing all the players a great tournament. See you soon.”
The athlete did not specify the nature of his injury, and he will not play again this season. Currently, he has won a record of 24 Grand Slam men’s singles titles.
Djokovic’s athletic performance
In 2024, Djokovic won 37 of his 46 games and won his only championship in the Paris Olympics, where he finally received the goal medal he had been working hard for. Moreover, he has not won an ATP event since 2005, and this is only the fourth season since 2008 that he has not taken home one of the four Grand Slam championships.
Djokovic admitted: “I am not chasing ATP Finals, I am not chasing the rankings.” Furthermore, the former world number one confirmed his desire to focus on the Grand Slams in an attempt to extend his career.
Djokovic’s next match will probably be at the Australian Open, which will begin on January 12, 2025.
Carlos Alcaraz has stated that his main goal for the 2025 season is to finally complete a career Grand Slam.
Currently, the young Spaniard is missing the Australian Open from his collection of major championships, having now won a total of four titles. In his most recent try in Melbourne, Australia, Alcaraz was defeated by Alexander Zverev in the last eight.
Alcaraz said: “I am a very ambitious person and I want to win the Australian Open to complete the career Grand Slam… I want 2025 to be even more exciting. Let’s say I want more. Australia is what I want to tattoo, even if my father doesn’t like it very much. Being champion there is my main goal for next season.”
He added: “It was a year of ups and downs, but still positive. I still get emotional when I watch the videos of Roland-Garros and Wimbledon…. I [will] start a hard month of training, but spending Christmas and New Year at home is wonderful and gives me a break. Sometimes it’s difficult to find happiness, but I want people to have fun with me.”
Alcaraz’s athletic performance so far
Prior to defeating Novak Djokovic in a thrilling Wimbledon match in 2023, Alcaraz had already won the US Open in 2022.
In the 2024 season, he won his maiden French Open championship, which was his finest Grand Slam to date. Furthermore, he defeated Djokovic in a more conventional match to successfully defend the Wimbledon title.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Alcaraz was defeated by Djokovic in straight sets to avenge his Wimbledon loss. The young athlete lost his chance for a “Golden Slam” because of this.
He defeated world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in a thrilling final at the China Open, but he lost to Ugo Humbert in the second round of the Paris Masters after being defeated by Tomas Machac in Shanghai.
Moreover, Alcaraz lost to Botic van de Zandschlup in the second round of the US Open and suffered a shock defeat to Gael Monfils in Cincinnati.
If Alcaraz succeeds in January in Melbourne, he will have surpassed Rafael Nadal as the youngest person to win a career Grand Slam.
Novak Djokovic is arguably the greatest tennis player of all time.
The Serbian athlete has achieved a remarkable feat unparalleled in the history of professional tennis, having remained in the top spot of the ATP Pepperstone ranking for a total of 397 weeks and having won 24 Grand Slam singles titles.
Djokovic has accumulated a wealth of trophies, accolades, and world records throughout his fifteen-year career, which would make one think that the player has probably got it all. But, upon closer inspection, the Serb is lacking one piece of conspicuous glory that most athletes aspire to have: an Olympic gold medal
Djokovic’s goals
Following his success at the United States Open, where he achieved his 24th Grand Slam title, Novak Djokovic opted to take a period of rest to be with his family. During this time, he missed several tournaments.
The Paris Masters marked his comeback, but before he set out onto the court, Djokovic declared his intentions for the future. And among his list is the Paris Olympics next year.
“Of course my greatest motivation is still love for the game. I really like competing. So as simple as that. Then I always have goals, and to win another Slam, to be No. 1 again, to finish the year as No. 1. Those are let’s say the big goals,” said Djokovic said, as per the ATP tour. “Of course next year is Olympic Games. I really want to do well in the Olympic Games, and represent my country. Davis Cup is something that still gives me a lot of inspiration.”
He also stated that, while he wishes to win every tournament in which he chooses to compete, his ambition is stronger for the ones he named, including the Olympics.
“Any tournament where I play, I want to win, no doubt. But the big goals are the ones that I mentioned,” Djokovic said.
Djokovic: Olympic history
Djokovic has not been able to secure a gold medal despite his numerous attempts, beginning in 2008, and has only achieved a bronze medal in his entire career.
The bronze medal was won in his Olympic debut in Beijing, where he defeated United States player James Blake, 6–3, 7–6(7–4).
At the 2012 London Olympics, Djokovic was eliminated in the semi-finals and then faced defeat in the bronze medal match against Argentina’s Juan Martín del Potro.
In 2016 Rio Olympics, as bad luck would have it, Djokovic met del Potro again, this time in the first round of the competition. Unfortunately, the Serb was unable to avenge his bronze medal loss and was eliminated in the first round, thus destroying his Olympic ambition once more.
At the time, Djokovic was visibly in tears as he walked off the court, which was a heartbreaking moment for his supporters.
“No doubt this is one of the toughest losses in my life and in my career,” a devastated Djokovic told reporters, as per reuters.
Finally, at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Djokovic mirrored his 2012 performance when he lost in the semi-finals against Alexander Zverev.
Novak Djokovic will compete at the Paris Olympics, the Olympic Committee of Serbia has announced.
The 37-year-old underwent knee surgery last month after he was forced to pull out of the French Open following an injury in the fourth round, where he won a gruelling four-and-a-half-hour match.
But he will be seen in action again at the Olympics.
Djokovic has played in every Olympics since 2008.
He won the bronze at his Olympic debut in Beijing.
But the Serbian, who has won a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles making him statistically the greatest tennis player in history, is yet to win a second Olympic medal.
He went out in the semi-finals of both the singles and the doubles at Tokyo 2020.
Currently world number three, Djokovic will try to end his title drought in 2024 after winning three out of the four Grand Slams last year.
Paris 2024 is “a priority” for him, he said in April, in quest of an elusive Olympic gold medal.
Dusan Lajovic, ranked 56th, will also play for Serbia in the July 27-August 4 Olympic tournament at Roland Garros.
Other famous contenders
Djokovic will be in good company, with other illustrious veterans also in the fray.
Rafael Nadal, 38, who won the Olympic singles gold in the Beijing 2008 Games (where Djokovic won the bronze), will be playing for Spain. Nadal also picked up the doubles gold at the Rio 2016 Olympics. This will be his third Olympics.
Two-time Olympic champion Andy Murray will also be seen in action, playing for Great Britain.
Murray, 37, who won the singles at London 2012 and Rio 2016, will be in the Olympics for the fifth time. He said it would be “fitting” to retire at the Games.
One of the highlights of a new tennis season is the Melbourne Grand Slam, which Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka won in 2024.
The Grand Slam tournament will start on January 12 and end on January 26, 2025. In order to qualify, athletes must win three matches during the qualifying rounds, which will run from January 6-11, 2025.
Who are the athletes playing at the 2025 Australian Open?
Alongside defending champion Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic are expected to compete for the men’s title while Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff will vie for he women’s title currently held by Aeyna Sabalenka.
Novak Djokovic will be trying to capture a record 25th Grand Slam championship with Andy Murray, who recently announced his retirement, as his coach.
Taylor Fritz, the new world No. 4 who advanced to the Nitto ATP Finals final, will also be among the contenders. Furthermore, for the first time in three years, Nick Kyrgios will return to his home Grand Slam. Due to injury, Kyrgios has only played in one match in the past two seasons, but he is making a comeback in Melbourne, where he took home the doubles championship in 2022.
Jack Draper will be the leading British athlete to compete in the tournament.
On the women’s side, Swiatek, Gauff, Paolini, and Rybakina will be top contenders for the title held by Sabalenka. After losing in the 2023 final, Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen will be looking to make her comeback as well. Katie Boulter, the top-ranked British player, has never advanced past the second round of the Grand Slam.
Australian Open 2025 schedule
Here is the detailed schedule of the 2025 Australian Open:
Sunday, January 12: Men’s and women’s singles first round
Monday, January 13: Men’s and women’s singles first round
Tuesday, January 14: Men’s and women’s singles first round
Wednesday, January 15: Men’s and women’s singles second round
Thursday, January 16: Men’s and women’s singles second round
Friday, January 17: Men’s and women’s singles third round
Saturday, January 18: Men’s and women’s singles third round
Sunday, January 19: Men’s and women’s singles fourth round
Monday, January 20: Men’s and women’s singles fourth round
Tuesday, January 21: Men’s and women’s singles quarter-finals
Wednesday, January 22: Men’s and women’s singles quarter-finals
Thursday, January 23: Women’s singles semi-finals
Friday, January 24: Men’s singles semi-finals
Saturday, January 25: Women’s singles final, men’s doubles final
Sunday, January 26: Men’s singles final, women’s doubles final
