What still keeps Novak Djokovic racing? Among his “big goals” are the Paris Olympic Games next summer on the clay of Roland-Garros, where he inevitably dreams of gold, explained the world No.1 on Saturday two days before the Masters. 1000 from Paris. Olympic gold is the only prestigious title missing from the monumental achievements of the Serb, who equaled the absolute record of 24 Grand Slam trophies established in the 1970s by Margaret Court, by triumphing at the US Open in September.
If he was a bronze medalist in singles for his first participation in the Olympics in 2008 in Beijing, the Olympic podium has systematically been denied to him since: he finished fourth in 2012 in London (beaten by Murray and Del Potro) as in 2021 in Tokyo (beaten by Zverev and Carreño), and was eliminated in the first round in 2016 in Rio, by Juan Martin Del Potro. “I always have goals, to win another Grand Slam, to finish the year world No. 1. Of course, next year there are the Olympic Games (in Paris), I really want to do well there, represent my country (…), these are my big goals,” listed Djokovic, who will be 37 years old. at the time of the 2024 Olympics.
At the Masters 1000 in Paris, Djokovic, exempt from the first round, will begin his tournament either against his compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic (55th), or against the Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry (32nd). He has not played since his foray into the Davis Cup in mid-September, following his coronation in New York, but once his batteries were recharged with his family, he took the opportunity to begin his pre-season preparation for 2024 , explained “Nole”.
