Novak Djokovic’s Grand Slam drought has sparked debate among tennis fans. The Serbian star hasn’t won a major since the 2023 US Open. His last ATP title was at the ATP Finals in Turin, wrapping up the 2023 season. However, he did win Olympic gold in Paris last year.
Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams’ former coach, has drawn parallels between Djokovic’s current situation and Williams’ struggles back in 2012. At that time, Williams was facing a Grand Slam title drought, having lost in the first round of Roland Garros and going two years without a major win. Mouratoglou recalled Williams telling him she wanted to win another Grand Slam before potentially retiring.
Mouratoglou said, “When I started working with Serena, she was going through a tough time. She’d lost in the first round of Roland Garros and hadn’t won a Grand Slam in two years. She told me she wanted to win one more and maybe retire after that.” Williams went on to win Olympic gold and the US Open, regaining her motivation.
Mouratoglou continued, “After that tough spell, she started achieving great things. She began talking about surpassing Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, who each had 18 Grand Slam titles, and later Steffi Graf, with 22 titles. She stopped discussing retirement.” Mouratoglou believes having a goal is crucial, whether on or off the court.
The coach now works with Naomi Osaka and sees a similar challenge with Djokovic. “We see it now with Novak. He’s in a big battle. What’s his main goal now that he’s surpassed Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal? How does he stay motivated? That’s the question.”
Djokovic has already broken many significant records. He now faces the challenge of staying motivated without a major rival to chase. He has 99 ATP titles, but Jimmy Connors holds the record with 109, making it unlikely Djokovic will surpass him. However, winning a 25th Grand Slam remains a possibility, which would see him share the all-time record with Margaret Court.
Djokovic’s Next Challenge
Djokovic’s current situation raises questions about what drives him. With no major records left to break, he’ll need to find new motivation. Will it be the 25th Grand Slam title, or something else entirely? Only time will tell.
