For many
experts and fans,
Novak Djokovic is at the peak of his physical prowess,
following an exceptional season where he clinched three Grand Slam titles (in
addition to reaching the Wimbledon final) and secured the ATP Finals
championship, finishing the year as the world No. 1 for the 8th time in his
career. The 36-year-old tennis maestro was also named the ITF World Champion
for the season.
Reflecting
on his illustrious career, Djokovic recalled other notable seasons, such as
2011 and 2015, and drew comparisons with his more recent performances on the
Tour. For 'Nole,' mentality plays a crucial role in his preparation to stay at
the top despite being over 35 years old.
Djokovic's best season
In a recent
interview with John Wertheim on 60 Minutes, the 24-time Grand Slam champion
acknowledged that 2023 stands alongside the best seasons of his career and that
he is in his prime at 36: "I could say, yes. I was fortunate to have
several primes during my career. 2011 was the first best year where I had a run
of over 40 matches won without any loss. The first loss came, I don’t know,
after 10 tournaments, midseason," the Serbian claimed.
"That
was the first time I won three [Grand] Slams in a year. And I had several years
where I won three Slams in a year: 2015, 2016. I had maybe 18 or 19 finals in a
row. So those were the primes in my 20s. And now in my 30s, I’ve been
experiencing some really good years, particularly ’21 and this year, ’23,"
Djokovic added.
According
to the current world No. 1, age is "just a number," and he believes
that mindset and effort are key to maintaining peak physical condition: "I
think it’s mindset, really. Age is just a number. It’s a cliché, but it really
is a psychological approach that you have to life, to age, to career and to
anything."
"Fundamentally,
I put a lot of effort into having a proper routine to prevent injuries and
absence from the tour. I don’t see any limit in terms of age. I’ve surpassed
35, now I have to be thinking about myself as an old guy? I actually don’t
think that way," ‘Nole’ concluded.