In 2023, Novak Djokovic had one of the best seasons of his career, winning three major titles and making the final of Wimbledon.
The 24-time major champion was close to completing the calendar Grand Slam, and would’ve been the sixth player, man or woman, in history to complete the feat, had he not fallen at the final hurdle in SW19.
Djokovic lost to Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set thriller on Centre Court, with the Spaniard clinching his first crown at the All England Club.
Following the final, questions were raised about how much longer he would remain at the top of the game for, with the rise of Alcaraz marking a potential passing of the torch.
It didn’t take long for Djokovic to shut down those questions, however, as he went on to win his fourth US Open title later that season.
After securing the trophy with a straight-sets win over Daniil Medvedev, he took a moment to answer his critics.
What Novak Djokovic said about his Wimbledon loss after winning the 2023 US Open
When asked about public opinion of his potential decline in level after losing the Wimbledon final earlier that year, Djokovic said: “Well, I mean, people like to talk, obviously. So there are a lot of different opinions out there.
“I mean, it’s not my interest and neither business to really review what everyone talks about or thinks, whether there is a passing of the torch or new gen, next gen, future gen, whatever you want to call it, happening or not happening in the sport.
“You know, I focus on what I need to do and how I get myself in an optimal state so that I can win the biggest trophies in our sport. That’s what I care about.
“It’s great for our sport that I have very good rivalries with Alcaraz, no doubt. He’s such a refreshment for tennis, a great player, an amazing player, great guy as well.
“So I think, you know, collectively we all want more attention and interest going towards the tennis. The more people get involved with tennis in whatever shape or form, the better it is for all of us.
“But, look, in the end of the day, my goal was always, at the beginning of the season, to try to win all Grand Slams.
“You know, I would definitely sign right away the paper if somebody would tell me I would win three out of four and play Wimbledon finals.
“There is a little regret that I didn’t win that Wimbledon final. But, look, in the end of the day, you know, I have so much more to be happier and content with than actually to regret something.
I’m going to keep going. You know, I feel good in my own body. I still feel I got the support of my environment, of my team, of my family.”
What Novak Djokovic said about prioritising Grand Slams after winning the US Open in 2023
Djokovic continued in his press conference: “Grand Slams, I have vocalised that in the last few years, have always been the highest goal and the priority of mine in the whole season.
“I don’t play as much in terms of other tournaments, so I try to, you know, prioritise my preparation so that I can peak in slams.
“Yeah, these are the moments and these are the kind of emotions that I motivate myself with every single day when I’m not playing a tournament.
“Yeah, occasionally asking myself, why do I need this still at this stage after all I have done, you know? How long do I want to keep going? I do have these questions in my head, of course.
| Grand Slam | Titles won by Djokovic |
|---|---|
| Australian Open | 10 |
| Roland Garros | 3 |
| Wimbledon | 7 |
| US Open | 4 |
“But knowing that I play at such a high level still and I win the biggest tournaments in this sport, yeah, I don’t want to get rid of this sport or I don’t want to leave this sport if I’m still at the top, you know, if I’m still playing the way I’m playing.”
The 38-year-old has since played in six majors and has made one final and three semi-finals, but is yet to capture Grand Slam number 25.
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