Coach reveals three big improvements Novak Djokovic has made this year
Novak Djokovic has managed to improve three key parts of his game in the last year, according to coach Goran Ivanisevic.
Djokovic is 36-years-old now and yet he seems to be getting stronger all the time. He reached the final in all four Grand Slams and won the ATP Finals too.
Along the way, he has played some genuinely sensational tennis. While you would normally expect players to start declining in their 30s, many analysts believe Djokovic is looking better than he ever has done before.
Those observations are backed up by Ivanisevic too, who has paid tribute to the Serbian’s desire as well as identifying the areas in which his game has got better.
“It’s very tough to improve with him,” Ivanisevic said, “but he wants to improve. That’s the good thing and bad thing for me as a coach and the rest of the team.
“I think he improved a lot his volleys, his game at the net, and his position at the net. Now when he comes to the net he plays some amazing volleys.
“His position at the net is a lot better. It is very tough to pass him. Before he was very easy to pass.
“Now he knows what he’s doing at the net. He’s comfortable at the net. In the final of the US Open he played two, three most important volleys in the final against Medvedev.
“He’s hitting the forehands much, much harder. He’s going for the shots. Serving, I think second serve, sometimes he’s hitting over 200. He’s just going for it.”
Can Novak Djokovic improve further in 2024?
While Novak Djokovic is still determined to improve, he hasn’t left himself much room for it in 2024.
In fact, the only way he can really do it is by doing something genuinely remarkable. A Calendar Slam (winning all four majors), which he very nearly achieved in 2021 would do it, and a Golden Slam definitely would.
A Golden Slam has only been achieved once before in the history of tennis, when Steffi Graf won all four majors and Olympic gold in 1988. Djokovic wants to add his name to that list.
“Well, you can win four slams and an Olympic gold,” Djokovic said. “I have always the highest ambitions and goals. That’s not going to be different for the next year.
“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. It still inspires me to keep going.”
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