Djokovic: “I would like to be remembered as someone who tried to help improve the sport and fellow players’ livelihoods”

The Serb says 2023 was close to his best ever year but admits he’s starting to think about how much longer he wants to carry on

Imago / Panoramic

Simon Cambers

January 9, 2024

Having won three our of the four slams in 2023 and reached the final of the other, not to mention finishing the year ranked No 1 yet again, it doesn’t seem like Novak Djokovic is planning to hang up his racquets any time soon.

At 36, the Serb is still chasing records – most notably one more Grand Slam title to take the all-time record at 25 – but he admits he’s giving more thought to what’s next and is also thinking about how he’d like to be remembered when he eventually does call it a day.

In an interview with Jim Courier broadcast on Sport Klub, Djokovic said he wanted his legacy to be about two things.

“I would like to be remembered as someone who used his platform and his status and influence as a top player to help improve the sport and the livelihood of fellow tennis players,” he said. “That is something that really drives me, that’s one of my great wishes.

“Of course I would be like to be remembered as someone who devoted all his life to the sport, played the sport with his heart and his guts, that left it all out there, hopefully inspired a lot of younger people to grab a racquet. Yeah, and a few other things.”

Novak Djokovic — Chryslene Caillaud/Panoramic)

2023 “close to the best”

Djokovic enters 2024 as the world No 1, having won three of the four Grand Slams in 2023 and reached the final of the other, only missing out to Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon in a thrilling five-set battle.

Djokovic went 56-7 on the year, winning seven titles in the process but said it was not quite his best year ever.

“(It was) one of the best I’ve had,” he said. “I was saying, if I’d won Davis Cup. probably I’d crown it as the best one, but (it was) close second to 2015, 2011, the years where I won three out of four slams and many tournaments.”

“I don’t know if I was really expecting to win three out of four and play four finals but I certainly always prepare for that and try to aim for that, when I set my schedule at the beginning of the season. It was an amazing year. “

“I’m always thinking, is it still worth it”

Djokovic turns 37 in 2024, an age when most tennis players have long since put their racquets away. Djokovic said he doesn’t know how long he’ll continue to play, even if the body is still willing.

“I’m kind of divided a little,” he said. “There’s always a part of me who’s the young boy who just adores tennis, devoted his entire life to tennis and wants to keep going. But I’m the father of two children and I’m away from my family; every time I travel for extended periods of time, it breaks my heart, so I’m always thinking about how much longer should I play, how many tournaments should I play, is it worth it?

“I do normally always have clarity, where I want to go, what are the goals, I know the goals are Grand Slams and Olympics, but other than that I have no idea where I want to play. I’m still hungry, I still want to compete, I still can run for hours, thankfully, but it’s more of an emotional aspect, it’s what is the priority? Tennis has been the priority for 20+, 30 years and I don’t want to miss out on too many moments with my children.”

2024 Novak beats 2008 Novak

Djokovic will begin the Australian Open as favourite to win the title for a record-extending 11th time, having first won the title in 2008.

Would that younger, faster Djokovic get the better of the Djokovic of today? He thinks not.

“I guess the older I get the more conscious I am that I need to preserve the energy a bit, be a bit more tactical, strategic on the court with my positioning,” he said.

“The 2008 Novak would be hungry like a wolf, young boy, irritating boy to me the 36-year-old, but the experience is on the side of the older guy. It would be a good match. I think the 36-year-old wins because of the pressure moments.”