For the last few years, the narrative around Novak Djokovic has centered on how prolific he has been despite a possible retirement being around the corner. The Serbian is 36 after all and one of the oldest players on tour. The inescapable truth is that he can't go on forever which is why fans have been advised to soak up every shot he hits; when he's gone, he won't be coming back and tennis will lose its greatest-ever champion.
However, is that thinking premature? At least, could Djokovic be improving with age instead of being on the brink of decline?
There is no end in sight for Djokovic or his opponents
At the time of writing, the Serb has just recorded his 32nd consecutive Wimbledon win and in doing so, secured his place in the quarter-finals for the 14th time in his career. With this frightening stat in mind, it won't come as a surprise to learn that the latest Betfair tennis odds price Djokovic at just 1/2 to win this year's tournament, and who would bet against him given that it has been ten years since the 36-year-old last lost on Centre Court? Yes, of the last 43 matches Djokovic has played on Wimbledon's most iconic court, he hasn't lost one.Again, is the Serb actually just powering through the gears at 36 instead of slowing down? On closer inspection, you could argue with justification that Djokovic is a better player now than he was in his 20s.
The numbers that defy reason
To start with, Djokovic has only lost four Grand Slam matches since 2019. Notably, two of those losses were against Rafa Nadal on the fabled red courts of Roland Garros. In essence, there is no shame in losing to a man dubbed the King of Clay although with that said, Djokovic seems to have since mastered the tricky surfaces having won the 2023 French Open.As for the other two defeats, one was by way of technicality after a wayward shot hit a line judge which meant instant disqualification from the US Open in 2020, and the other came in in 2021 against Daniil Medvedev during the US Open final. Yes, Djokovic was soundly beaten in straight sets but he bounced back to win three Grand Slams after that, indicating that it was merely an off day and not the beginning of the end.
This takes us back to Wimbledon 2023 with the Serb on the verge of winning his 24th Grand Slam at a time when most players would have been long retired. For all intents and purposes, Djokovic looks unbeatable and as touched on, is a more complete player now than he was ten years ago.
Of course, the Serb follows a strict diet and possesses extraordinary self-discipline which means he has been able to avoid injuries that plague most, but he is now also benefiting from a decade and a half of Grand Slam experience.
This was evident against Hubert Hurkacz when their round of 16 game had to be stopped due to the Wimbledon curfew. Instead of losing momentum overnight, Djokovic returned the next day and calmly saw the game out to progress to the quarters. Only two days before, Andy Murray returned to Centre Court leading his second-round clash after a curfew pause only to lose. The wider point is that despite being the most successful male player to play the game, Djokovic still has the desire and professionalism to navigate potential banana skins.
The show will go on for a while yet
This all suggests that the Serb is not going anywhere anytime soon and instead, is intent on taking his Grand Slam tally nearer 30 rather than retiring soon.Right now, there is seemingly no individual on the planet that can beat Djokovic and that doesn't look like changing anytime soon.
