Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou has heaped praise on Novak Djokovic again. The Serbian is still winning Grand Slam titles while looking as fit as ever. Now at 36, Novak Djokovic is showing no signs of slowing down and Mouratoglou has admired the Serbian for his success and longevity.
According to the French coach, Novak Djokovic’s body is extremely young for his age and can be compared to the 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz. Alcaraz is regarded as one of the fittest players on tour and playing against him is physically tiring. However, Djokovic did manage to match the Spaniard stride to stride in 2023, showing his amazing fitness.
Novak Djokovic still as fit as Carlos Alcaraz according to Mouratoglou
Tennis is a demanding sport with players needing to stay at the top of their game to succeed. Djokovic has been competing professionally for more than 16 years and still going strong. The Serbian pays a lot of attention to his fitness and works hard off-court to ensure he is in the best physical shape possible. Djokovic, who famously said,”36 is the new 26, isn’t it?”, is sticking to his words and competing with the younger generation for major honors.
Mouratoglou was talking about Novak Djokovic in his podcast, when he admitted that the Serbian has a body too young for his age. The French coach further added that Djokovic trains with the best coaches from around the world and pays a lot of attention to his fitness. Djokovic’s court coverage and physical fitness are comparable to that of Carlos Alcaraz, a 20-year-old.
“I haven’t seen ever a player of 36 years old that is in that shape. The fact that he’s incredibly serious and focused made him become the best athlete because I think he’s the best athlete. The way he moves on the court, you can compare him to Carlos Alcaraz who is 20. It’s crazy when you think about it.”
With Novak Djokovic winning three Grand Slams in 2023, there are no signs of stopping for the 36-year-old. Mouratoglou has hailed Djokovic’s fitness and predicted that the Serbian could play well into his forties.
The younger generation have failed to match Djokovic, and with Rafael Nadal struggling with injuries, the Serbian is lacking real competition. Mouratoglou has admitted that he feels the Serbian can play until he is 40, but a lot will depend on his motivation and hunger.
“I still think that he can go over 40. I’m not saying he’s gonna do it because it’s all also about motivation. Of course, he can get injured. Anyone can get injured. I think a lot will depend on his motivation too. Extremely young. I mean, it’s quite obvious. You see him move on the court.”
