After successful only one event in 2024 — a Paris Olympics gold medal — former No. 1 Novak Djokovic says he, and with new coach Andy Murray’s enter, has a plan to tackle the sport’s newcomers.
Nothing radical, he says, however sufficient to offer him an opportunity in opposition to the likes of 23-year-old top-ranked Jannik Sinner, who received the Australian Open and U.S. Open final 12 months, and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, who’s 21 and who received the opposite two Grand Slam tournaments, Wimbledon and the French Open.
The 37-year-old Djokovic stated after his first-round win on the Brisbane Worldwide that he’ll spend the times forward of the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 12, with Murray viewing match movies of his youthful rivals.
The seventh-ranked Djokovic started his quest for a one centesimal ATP title with a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Australian wild-card entry Rinky Hijikata. A win in Brisbane could be a great set-up for a report twenty fifth Grand Slam singles title in Melbourne for the already 10-time Australian Open champion.
Djokovic stated he would use a second assembly with rival-turned-coach Murray to make small tweaks in his recreation.
“I’m not seeking to rework my recreation fully . . . I’m not going to be Giovanni (rising 21-year-old French star Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard) serving two first serves and coming in to the web,” Djokovic informed Australian Related Press.
“However I positively am seeking to enhance, even when it’s the slightest proportion, each single shot that I’ve in my recreation, and perhaps one thing that folks don’t essentially see is that this court docket positioning, the transition play, the techniques.”
Additionally learn | Djokovic beats residence favorite Hijikata to start season on a excessive
And he’s ready to place in time on the follow court docket.
“Bodily, mentally, as effectively and able to compete, no matter it takes, nonetheless many hours it takes with the kids,” he stated. “The week earlier than Australian Open (we are going to) do numerous video evaluation of my essential opponents, high guys, attempting to grasp how my recreation matches up.”
Djokovic, talking after his win in Brisbane, poked enjoyable at Murray’s present household snowboarding journey. He stated he hoped Murray, who sustained quite a lot of hip and different accidents throughout his profession, didn’t undergo any skiing-related incidents.
‘He’s really snowboarding for the time being,’ Djokovic stated. ’He’s on a household snowboarding journey. Sending my like to all of the Murray household. I hope he doesn’t get injured snowboarding earlier than he involves Melbourne.”
Murray, in his often-self-deprecating method, couldn’t resist responding with a video on X, saying: “I’m taking up some enormous slopes as you possibly can see however no accidents simply but.” However the “enormous slopes” regarded extra like a newbie’s bunny run.