‘It is certainly not ideal,’ Novak Djokovic slams bizarre Tour scheduling as he eyes the Paris Olympics as his ultimate goal this season
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic ‘s ambition to win the gold medal at the Olympics is no secret. The 24-time singles Grand Slam title winner has won all possible titles in the sport except the ultimate glory at the Games. His only Olympic medal so far came in Beijing (2008), when he won the singles bronze.
He reached the semis in London (2012) but lost the tie and the bronze medal match to Juan Martin del Potro.
In Rio in 2016, he suffered a shocking first-round exit before losing the bronze medal match in 2020 as well. As he gets possibly his one last shot at the medal, the Serb expressed his disappointment with the scheduling.
The Wimbledon Championships conclude on July 14, and the Games in Paris commence on July 26. Tennis players would have to switch from grass to clay again, despite having played on clay up until the French Open, which finishes on June 9.
In the last Olympics, it wasn’t possible to play and reach my best level, but for me, they are a priority. This is the first time the Roland Garros is being played and it will help the preparation, of course, before the Olympics there will be Wimbledon and it is certainly not ideal. Said Djokovic, speaking with the press in Monte Carlo.
Nole also highlighted the importance of maintaining fitness from May to September. During these months, three Grand Slam events and the Olympics will be played out. All of these are the primary targets for the Serb, who has now shifted his focus only on the big titles.
The most important time of the year will be from the Roland Garros to the US Open and it is during this period that you will have to be at your best both physically and mentally. Added the Serb.
Novak Djokovic starts his Olympics campaign in Monte Carlo
With Paris hosting the Games this year, tennis will be played at Roland Garros, the site for the French Open. This increases the importance of clay court events all the way to July, as players would look to get used to the surface.
Djokovic will make his clay debut for the season at the 2024 Monte Carlo Masters. He is the top seed and a two-time winner at the tournament in singles. He received a first-round bye owing to his seeding and will now start his campaign in the second round.
Djoker will take on Roman Safiullin in their second career clash. The Russian player defeated Jaume Munar in straight sets to make the second round. Their only previous meeting took place in the semis of the 2022 Tel Aviv Open, where the Serb eventually won the title.
Keeping in mind his ambition for the Olympics and also maintaining his fitness, so far, Djokovic looks likely to play only the Masters events on clay before the French Open. Following Monte Carlo, he is scheduled to play in Madrid and then in Rome before heading to Paris.