BRISBANE, Australia — Having secured only one title in 2024, which was the coveted gold medal at the Paris Olympics, former world No. 1 Novak Djokovic has unveiled his strategy to counter the rising stars in tennis, with valuable insights from his new coach, Andy Murray.
Djokovic emphasized that while his approach is not groundbreaking, it is tuned to enhance his competitiveness against younger opponents such as 23-year-old Jannik Sinner, the reigning champion of both the Australian Open and U.S. Open, and Carlos Alcaraz, who at 21 won Wimbledon and the French Open last year.
Following his first-round victory at the Brisbane International, Djokovic expressed his intention to analyze match footage of his younger competitors alongside Murray in preparation for the upcoming Australian Open starting on January 12.
Ranked seventh, Djokovic kicked off his pursuit of a historic 100th ATP title by defeating local wild-card player Rinky Hijikata in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. A win in Brisbane would serve as a perfect launchpad for his ambition to clinch a record 25th Grand Slam singles title in Melbourne, where he has already claimed victory ten times at the Australian Open.
Djokovic mentioned that his second session with Murray as a coach would focus on making subtle adjustments to his gameplay.
“I’m not trying to completely overhaul my game. I’m not intending to evolve into someone like Giovanni, the talented 21-year-old from France, who takes risks serving and charges the net,” Djokovic commented, reinforcing his commitment to refining every element of his skill set, down to court positioning and tactical transition play.
He is ready to devote significant time to training, stating, “I am physically and mentally prepared to face the competition, dedicating however many hours I need alongside the younger players. In the week leading up to the Australian Open, we’ll conduct extensive video analysis of my key competitors to gauge how my game aligns.”
After his triumph in Brisbane, Djokovic light-heartedly remarked about Murray’s current family skiing trip, expressing a hope that the former champion would avoid injuries while on the slopes. “He’s actually skiing at the moment and I’m sending my best wishes to the entire Murray family. I hope he manages to stay injury-free ahead of his arrival in Melbourne,” Djokovic shared with a grin.
In his characteristically humorous fashion, Murray responded via a video on social media, showcasing his skiing experience. “I’m attempting some big slopes here, but thankfully no injuries so far.” However, the “big slopes” appeared more suited to beginners.
