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“Won Three Out of Four Slams & Played a Final in Fourth & It’s Still Not the Best Year of My Life”: Novak Djokovic Reflects on Amazing 2023 Season

Atharva Upasani
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"Won Three Out of Four Slams & Played a Final in Fourth & It's Still Not the Best Year of My Life": Novak Djokovic Reflects on Amazing 2023 Season

Novak Djokovic is having some much-needed rest ahead of the 2024 season. Djokovic is in Dubai at the moment and he recently gave an interview to Eurosport in which he spoke about feeling good that 2023 wasn’t his best year. The World No.1 won the Australian Open, French Open, US Open and the ATP Finals, while finishing as the finalist at Wimbledon.

Winning three Grand Slams in a year is not an easy achievement and the Serbian has done it on four occasions. Novak Djokovic has won three Grand Slams titles out of four in 2011, 2015, 2021 and 2023. But the 24-time Grand Slam champion believes that 2023 wasn’t as good as the other three years because he won lesser matches as compared to those. However, Djokovic was happy with the fact that even by winning three Grand Slam titles in a year, he is not satisfied.

Novak Djokovic will be the outright favorite to defend his Australian Open title in January 2024. Djokovic has won the Grand Slam Down Under in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023. Should he win, it will be his 25th Grand Slam win, a record which might perhaps never be broken. Additionally, it will be his 5th Grand Slam win out of the 7 that would have taken place by then since French Open 2022.

“One of the best years. I wouldn’t say the best, but one of the best. I mean, the fact that I’ve won three out of four Slams and played a final in the fourth and it’s still not the best year of my life, it’s quite nice to have that kind of situation. It’s definitely one of the best seasons. I had a couple of years, I think three times, that I won three out of four Slams in a season…in those years, I won more matches.
“It’s quite different circumstances this year comparing to all the other years because I played, what, 10, 11 tournaments this year.”

Novak Djokovic targeting Olympics glory in 2024

Novak Djokovic has admitted that winning the Olympics in Paris is one of his main goals for the upcoming season. The Serbian star has won every trophy in tennis but has failed to win an Olympics medal so far. However, his rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have both won a gold medal at the Olympics.

The Olympics will be contested on the Roland Garros surface. Recently, Djokovic has enjoyed great success on clay surface. Djokovic hoped that he is fit, physically and mentally for the Olympics game. Also the Serbian admitted that familiar conditions of the Roland Garros may work in his favor.

“I look forward to the Olympics. I hope I’ll be able to play healthy for next year in Paris. It’s going to be played on clay at Roland Garros, so I’m familiar with those grounds. I hope the best Olympic result for me will come there.”
The year 2024 could prove to be crucial for the Serbian. With an Olympics gold medal and a couple of Grand Slam titles, Djokovic could go clear in the GOAT debate.

About the author

Atharva Upasani

Atharva Upasani

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Possessing a Masters degree in Sports Journalism, Atharva is a Tennis Journalist at The SportsRush. Atharva has come a long way from just being a tennis enthusiast to writing more than 300 articles on the sport. He has the 2012 Australian Open final to thank for cultivating within him a strong interest in tennis in which Novak Djokovic beat his favorite player, Rafael Nadal. Besides Nadal, his favorite athletes are cricketer Virat Kohli and Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes.

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