After winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, Novak Djokovic decided to skip the Montreal and Cincinnati Masters 1000. While the forfeit in Canada was widely predictable, the forfeit in the tournament in Ohio – where he would have had to defend the title – was more surprising.The former world number 1 will be at the US Open without having played any preparation tournament, a risky choice since he will have to defend his title in New York. The 24-time Grand Slam champion spent a lot of physical and mental energy during his run in Paris, managing to play his best tennis right in the final against Carlos Alcaraz.
Novak had been dreaming of winning the gold medal at the Olympics for a long time and it will not be easy for him to find other motivation after achieving yet another memorable feat. The 37-year-old from Belgrade could lose second place in the ATP ranking if Alcaraz reaches at least the quarterfinals in Cincinnati.
Before the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Serbian champion had a hard time expressing himself at his best. Djokovic had not won any titles in the first part of the season and suffered several shocking defeats. The knee surgery during the French Open seemed to have further sunk his ambitions, before reaching the final at the Wimbledon Championships and being beaten by Alcaraz on Centre Court.
Novak had been dreaming of winning the gold medal at the Olympics for a long time and it will not be easy for him to find other motivation after achieving yet another memorable feat. The 37-year-old from Belgrade could lose second place in the ATP ranking if Alcaraz reaches at least the quarterfinals in Cincinnati.
Before the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Serbian champion had a hard time expressing himself at his best. Djokovic had not won any titles in the first part of the season and suffered several shocking defeats. The knee surgery during the French Open seemed to have further sunk his ambitions, before reaching the final at the Wimbledon Championships and being beaten by Alcaraz on Centre Court.
Doubts about Nole Djokovic were many before the Paris Olympics, but the Serbian legend shocked everyone for the umpteenth time. The former world number 1 has given everything to Paris: “Winning in the semis relieved some pressure as I already knew I had a secured medal, but I aimed for gold. I was up against the best player in the world currently, a great person with remarkable values, and a player whom I am convinced will win the Olympic gold in the future. I had to elevate my game significantly, and I succeeded. I couldn’t be happier; the feeling I experienced when winning the match is unlike any other in my career.”
He continued: “I know I have already won all the major tournaments, but I still love this sport, I enjoy competing, training day in and day out, striving to improve, and taking care of my body. Tennis means a lot to me, and I give my utmost to give back to this sport everything it has given me. I don’t know what the future holds; for now, it’s time to celebrate.”
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