21 years, 24 Grand Slams, and an Olympic gold is what Novak Djokovic’s two decades’ worth of professional tennis looks like. Having dealt with “the Rogers, the Rafas, the Andys,” as Alex de Minaur puts it, Djokovic is now competing against the younger generation like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. And it all boils down to one key aspect in his game. Any guesses?
de Minaur, in a December 28th interview with canberratimes.com, recalled his time at Laver Cup in 2022. “I’m playing Andy Murray, one of the big four, while he’s being coached by the other big three – all against me! And I’m sitting there, wondering, ‘Jeez, how many weaknesses and holes have they picked in my game that they are telling Andy about?’”
He chuckles at the recollection, however; he recognizes the potential strategic brilliance in having a payer of Murray’s exceptional ability and renowned tactical acumen assist in Djokovic’s pursuit of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title in Melbourne.
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“The Andy and Novak news was a complete shock to the whole tennis world. It was pretty crazy to see,” says de Minaur. “I can only imagine how that dynamic is going to go, but it’s going to be fun to watch.”
He views this collaboration as another step in Djokovic’s relentless pursuit of any edge he can find to compete with the rising stars like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who are 14 and 16 years younger than him, respectively.
All because of Novak Djokovic’s ability to stay competitive through adaptability. “To see someone like Novak still adapting and evolving as a tennis player throughout his whole career when he has, in fact, won everything, is incredible,” shrugged de Minaur.
“He has all the career records, and the exact reason why he’s got all those records is because he’s constantly been adapting. He’s dealt with the Rogers, the Rafas, the Andys and now he’s still tweaking areas of his game to compete against the younger generation,” he further added.
Djokovic’s 2024 season did not match his usual dominance. He began at the United Cup, leading Serbia to the quarterfinals. After defeating Zhizhen Zhang and Jiri Lehecka, he lost to de Minaur in straight sets. Djokovic then reached the Australian Open semifinals but lost to Jannik Sinner. In Indian Wells, Djokovic faced loss against a lowest-ranked player, Luca Nardi. On clay, he fell short in Monte Carlo, Rome, and Geneva before withdrawing from the French Open with a knee injury. At Wimbledon, he lost the final to Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets.
However, Djokovic claimed gold at the Paris Olympics, beating Carlos Alcaraz. He completed a Career Golden Slam, cementing his legacy. Returning at the Brisbane International, Novak Djoković has nothing but his sights set on the ultimate prize, the 11th Australian Open title of his career. With the likes of Andy Murray also joining, he opened up on how he can help him progress further.
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Novak Djokovic opens up on his collaboration with Andy Murray
As de Minaur recognizes that the idea of a player with Murray’s unique blend of skill and tactical genius guiding Djokovic could be a significant advantage. “Being on the same side of the net is actually great for a change because he’s been one of my greatest rivals,” Djokovic said.
“In a way it was strange for me to share all these kinds of insights about how I feel on the court, sharing some of the secrets of what I’m going through, what I’m thinking about, how I see my game with somebody that has been always one of the top rivals,” he explained.
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Interestingly, their head-to-head stats stand at 25-11 with the Djoker leading by a large margin. Despite the initial oddness, Djokovic expressed his gratitude for the opportunity. “I’m so glad and very thankful that he has accepted to work with me here in Australia,” Djokovic added.
According to sources within the PA news agency, Andy Murray may not be joining Novak Djokovic in Brisbane, as initially expected. Meanwhile, the 37-year-old Serbian is set to make his return to the Brisbane International after a 16-year absence. Djokovic previously competed in the tournament in 2009, where he suffered a first-round defeat to Ernests Gulbis.