Novak Djokovic: Tennis is still my focus
Novak Djokovic has revealed that he is planning to ‘go at full throttle in the off-season’, after pulling out of the ATP Finals in Turin.
Djokovic announced that he would be withdrawing from the ATP Finals earlier this week, despite qualifying for the year-end tournament for a seventh consecutive season.
“It’s quite an honor to qualify for the @nittoatpfinals in Turin. I was really looking forward to being there, but due to ongoing injury I won’t be playing next week,” Djokovic announced on Instagram. “Apologies to those who were planning to see me. Wishing all the players a great tournament. See you soon!”
Djokovic has only played 42 matches this year, 21 less than in 2023 and his lowest number since 2017, winning just the one title at the Olympic Games.
This has created much speculation about what the future holds for Djokovic, who has recently admitted that he is prioritising Grand Slams and representing Serbia, claiming that ‘everything else is less important.
However, when attending a basketball game in his home of Belgrade last night, Djokovic has played down any concerns about him retiring.
“Tennis is still my focus,” said Djokovic. “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.”
.@DjokerNole watching @EuroLeague game between Crvena Zvezda and Alba Berlin in Belgrade! ❤️🤍🇷🇸#kkcz #WeAreTheTeam pic.twitter.com/L72hZN3N48
— KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) November 7, 2024
With Djokovic telling media that representing Serbia was a priority of his, many were surprised that the 37-year-old was not on the entry list for the United Cup to kick off the 2025 season.
While the 24-time major winner did not answer that question, he has confirmed that he will be in action from the start of next year, “I am going to play in the first week of the season, I am just not sure yet where. Then, of course, Australian Open.“
Other than the United Cup, the other two ATP tournaments taking place in the first week next year are in Brisbane and Hong Kong.
Inside the baseline…
Novak Djokovic is at a stage in his career where he can choose to play as and when he pleases, and given his age has to be more sensible about how often that is. Although Djokovic has not had the best season by his standards, he has still reached the Wimbledon final, qualified for the ATP Finals and most importantly won that elusive gold medal. It will be interesting to see how 2025 plays out for Djokovic, who will officially be the only member of the ‘big three/four’ standing, as he targets more records and moves closer to the end of his incredible career.
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