Novak Djokovic’s future is becoming increasingly unclear amid his latest withdrawal.
A decision not to defend his Paris Masters title came as a slight shock after the Serb’s successful run in Shanghai.
Novak Djokovic marched into the final but was ultimately pipped by Jannik Sinner at the last hurdle.
With the 2024 season’s finale fast approaching, Djokovic is at risk of ending the year without a Tour-level title for the first time since 2005.
Furthermore, his inability to clinch a Grand Slam title this year makes 2024 the first season he has not won a major title since 2017
With Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner having won two each this year, French coach Patrick Mouratoglou has a theory over how the Serb can stay relevant in 2025.
Patrick Mouratoglou claims Novak Djokovic will compete for titles in 2025
Despite Mouratoglou in a new role as Naomi Osaka’s coach, it has not stopped him from giving his take on an interesting 2024 season.
While Djokovic clinched exactly what he wanted from 2024 in Olympic gold – something he himself admitted was far more valuable than another Grand Slam – Mouratoglou has still assessed it to be a ‘bad’ year for the Serb.
Speaking to Tennis365, he clarified: “I think he had a very bad year, but it came after an incredible year. Let’s not forget that only last year he won three Grand Slams and played in the final of the other. So we shouldn’t forget that was just one year ago, not ten years ago, just one year ago.
“He won the Olympics which was his main focus this year, beating Carlos in the final, playing fantastic tennis, so he is not far away. I think he can beat them (Sinner and Alcaraz). It’s very hard, there was a lot of margin before, but now there is none. When he plays them I think anyone can win, but I don’t think he’s far behind,” the Frenchman suggested.
Continuing, he made his predictions over how the 37-year-old will fare in 2025, suggesting there’s still titles to be won.
“I think he can still win Grand Slams, I’m sure about it. For Novak it’s only about his motivation. I understand that he struggles with it at the moment because all his career was about beating the other two and up being better than them, that was the fight of his life in tennis and he won.
“So to keep his motivation now, it’s very difficult,” he added. “Now that Rafa is retiring, the whole year that was the problem, that’s how I see it, I don’t know if I’m right, this year for Novak was tough.
“This is because from the start of the season you could see that Rafa was struggling so much and probably came to his mind, ‘well I won’. When you fight all your life for something and you finally get it, where do you find the motivation?”
An optimist, Mouratoglou added that Djokovic’s search for a 100th ATP title – something Sinner denied him of in Shanghai – as well as a 25th major, will be something that keeps the Serb going.
“I hope this difficult year is something he will be able to use to feed his motivation and come back next year as good as the previous one because then we’ll have a fight between those three that is going to be unbelievable and I want to see it.”
- READ MORE: Diego Schwartzman names the most intimidating player on the ATP Tour even ahead of Novak Djokovic
Can Novak Djokovic stage a comeback in 2025?
At the US Open, Alcaraz’s collapse, a classic Zverev choke, and admittedly a pretty hopeless Djokovic, demonstrated that you only need a bit of luck and a glittering fortnight to win a major.
Just ask Taylor Fritz or Jack Draper, who suddenly found themselves just a few sets away from history.
Emma Raducanu won the 2021 US Open without having played a WTA tour match yet. With tennis having a funny way of working out sometimes, the Serb is certainly in with a shout.
Indeed, Djokovic is no newbie who needs buckets of luck, he is quite capable of winning through a competitive field. But with just a little, he could see his name on a 25th title.
Sinner and Alcaraz do unfortunately look pretty unbeatable. The only chance the Serb might get of the title in Australia is if Sinner can’t play.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
