I Still Feel the Drive

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday August 25, 2024

Not since Roger Federer won his fifth and final US Open title in 2008 has a player successfully defended the men’s singles title at the US Open.

Four-time champion Novak Djokovic is hoping to change all that.

Ahead of his first round matchup with Moldova’s Radu Albot, 2024 Olympic gold medalist Djokovic told the press that he is still hungry for more success at the Grand Slams.

“Hopefully that changes this year,” he said when told that no man has defended the US Open title in the last 15 years. “I mean, that’s the goal. The goal is always for me to try to go all the way to the finals and fight for the trophy. I mean, that kind of mindset or approach is no different for me this year.”

Even at 37, No.2-seeded Djokovic says the fire to compete at the elite level still burns within him.

“People would ask me now that you have basically won everything with the gold medal, what else is there to win?” he said. “I still feel the drive. “I still have the competitive spirit. I still want to make more history and enjoy myself on the tour. I still hope to inspire many young people to watch tennis, play tennis – Those are some of the reasons why I still keep on going.”

Djokovic says that trying to keep pace with his younger rivals also is extremely motivating for him. He credits Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner for keeping him inspired to perform at his peak level.

“These kind of rivalries that I have with Jannik and Carlos, in particular, of course, along with other guys from the generation before, like, Zverev, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, you know, are the kind of matchups that still bring that joy of competition to me and inspire me to really, on a weekly basis when I’m not competing, push myself to perfect the game and to give myself an ability to be able to run for hours with them on the biggest stage,” he said. “Of course, there is a big age difference, but, you know, that’s still not, I guess, affecting me in a big way.”

Olympic Gold His Greatest Moment

Djokovic has executed so many breathtaking triumphs in his career, one would think he would have a difficult time deciding which one was his most moving performance. The Serbian legend says no question it is winning gold at the Paris Games this summer.

“I had some heartbreaking losses at the Olympic Games, worked very hard to try to get myself in a position to fight for gold,” he explained. “And at 37 I thought: could this be the last chance? Maybe. So I had to push more than I have ever done.”

Djokovic said that the Olympics turned out to be a dream come true, and added that he never felt such strong emotions on a tennis court.

“Turned out to be one of the best performances I had in years overall throughout the entire tournament,” he said. “Of course in the finals against Carlos, it was kind of a dream scenario really having my wife and children there, the entire nation watching. Just a very proud moment of experiencing the gold medal, you know, around my neck with the Serbian anthem and Serbian flag. Very, very special. Probably the most intense emotions I have ever had on a tennis court.

“I was saying that carrying the flag, being a flag bearer for my country, opening Games in 2012 in London at the Olympic Games, was the best feeling I had overall in my professional career, surpassed every Slam that I won, until I won the gold medal. I think the moment of when I achieved it, how I achieved it, after years of trying, the journey, that was the way it was, I think makes it even more unique.”