Djokovic still has large tennis goals on 37

MONACO – It is an unmistakable truth that things do not become easier for tennis players in their late 1930s.

Not so long ago, even at the highest level at such an age would have been considered a near-miracle. Although progress in athletics, nutrition and recovery is much more common, winning the biggest titles of sport in old age is actually more difficult than ever. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were 36 and 35 respectively when they won their last Majors.

Novak Djokovic was also 36 when he won the most recent of his record-similar 24 Grand Slam Singles titles in the US Open in 2023, and he was 37 when he won the Olympic gold medal last summer to fill the only void in his RSUM. But while he starts the Clay-Court season, only a month shy for his 38th birthday, he knows more than anyone else how difficult it is to win Majors, played as they are, about the best of five sets.

It is not only the rise of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who have won the last five slams and six of the last seven between them, that has complicated things. For Djokovic, injuries have inevitably become more common, such as the Hamstring -Teaches who ended his excellent Australian Open Run in the semi -final in January, and small things just seem to pop up to make life so much more difficult, such as the eye infection that he ruged in the final in the final in Miami, a different fierce Night. And with his children now 10 and 7, juggling with tennis and family is an increasing battle.

“I try to have the balancing act while I continue,” said Djokovic at the Monte Carlo Masters on Sunday, the infection under his right eye still visible. “When I say 'balancing act', I mean to really find a nice balance between professional life and private life, and to be satisfied with what I do and how I do it and still motivate myself to continue, not only on tournaments, but also weeks, day after day. [to get motivated] Then it was during my career. “

In Miami, just like in Melbourne, Djokovic showed that when he is at his game, he is still a force to take into account, after he reached the final without dropping a set and only in two tiebreak to go to an inspired Mensik, not helped by his eye infection. Being around weeks, if it goes well, are enough to convince him that he can still win the biggest titles.

“The performances I had in Miami … If I play that way, it naturally gives me more inspiration to move, to continue,” he said. “Just feels great on the field if you hit the ball well and win competitions. Of course, when you start to lose early in the tournaments, you ask that question [yourself]. More questions appear, more inner, I think, voices, who do doubts and conversations, about whether you should continue and how much and so on. “

“I am happy that I have found, at least in Miami, that joy on the field, and I feel the performance level. So let's see if I can wear it in the clay. Of course, a very different surface did not have much time to get used to this tournament, so my expectations are not really high for the results.

With Andy Murray Rest of Coaching Tasks after accompanying Djokovic in Indian Wells and Miami, the world no. 5 is accompanied by his brother Marko in Monte Carlo this week. Djokovic starts his title offer against Alejandro Tabilo van Chile, who upset him last year on the Italian Open.

And although his motivation sometimes has hesitation in the past year, there seem to be no immediate pension plans ahead. Asked if, if his 100th ATP tour title this year coincides with a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title, he will stop on the spot and go to a record high, his answer was strong.

“No, I don't think so,” he said. “You never know. Let's take a look. I still feel that I still have some gasoline in the tank. I feel that, as I have proven, you know, in Australia and Miami, that I can still play at a high level. And that still gives me satisfaction to be on the field and to compete. See what the future brings. Of course I would like to win.

The voices, it seems, have come to a halt for the time being. “For some other things, not that much,” said Djokovic. “But for tennis, currently, we are currently on good conditions.”