“I’m looking to play more tournaments this year”: Novak Djokovic sets sights on a strong 2025 return

The 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic is preparing for his debut at the Brisbane International, a tournament he uses as a warm-up for the Australian Open. The Serbian aims to reclaim his place at the top of the Tour, and a calendar with more tournaments could be the key in his quest for "more consistency."

While Djokovic was the undisputed No. 1 in 2023 with three Grand Slam titles, in 2024, he was overshadowed by the dominance of Jannik Sinner and the rising stature of Carlos Alcaraz, who shared the four majors of the year, leaving Nole just a step behind with no major titles for the first time since 2017.

"Hopefully, my level is going to go up" - Novak Djokovic

With only 9 tournaments played in 2024 (record: 37-9), and for the first time without ATP titles since 2005 – before his first title – Djokovic did manage to secure the one title he had long sought: the Olympic gold medal, completing the last tournament missing from his illustrious career.

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Djokovic is set to debut at the Brisbane International this Monday against Rinki Hijikata and spoke with Tennis Australia about his renewed expectations for 2025. “I haven’t played any official tournaments for a couple of months, I finished my season quite early,” he said. “I just took some time to physically recover and get myself in the right shape, and I’m excited to start the new season with a tournament before the Australian Open.”

“Brisbane is a great tournament and has always historically attracted some top players in the world, so I look forward to hopefully getting more than one match this week,” he added with a smile. “I’ve been working hard for the last month or so, and, as I say, it’s going to take probably a little bit of time to get that match play going and get a sense for playing official points and getting ready," claimed the 10-time Australian Open champion.

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“I’m looking for a good start to the season, I’m looking for more consistency across all the tournaments,” the Serbian stated. “I’m looking to play more tournaments this year than I played last season, so hopefully, my level is going to go up.”

Djokovic will also team up with Nick Kyrgios on Monday for doubles. The Australian is eager to return to the Tour after nearly two years without playing, with his sights set on being in top shape for the Australian Open.

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