World number three Daniil Medvedev believes anything can change in 2024, except that Novak Djokovic is still at the top of his game.
"The only thing we know for sure is that Djokovic is still at the top," Medvedev told The National on December 24. "I may drop out of the top 10, but Djokovic will always be there. So I hope to stay in the top four and compete with the other three, whoever they are."
Medvedev (right) hugs and congratulates Djokovic after the US Open final in September in New York. Photo: Reuters
Medvedev dropped out of the top 10 at the start of 2023, but came back strong with five titles in the season. He won 66 matches in 2023, the most on the ATP Tour. The Russian finished the best year of his career as world number three. Still, Medvedev had some regrets about not winning a Grand Slam - something world number one Djokovic did three times in 2023.
Sharing the same view with Medvedev, former world number four Tim Henman said Djokovic is likely to continue to dominate tennis in 2024: "Djokovic deserves to be trusted, not only because of his playing style and excellent movement at the age of 36, but also because of his desire and motivation to conquer major titles."
Henman also said Djokovic is playing with more freedom and ease in his mind, after years of chasing Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Nole now leads the way with 24 Grand Slam titles, two more than Nadal and four more than Federer, respectively. "He's surpassed them all," Henman added. "This position has been his dream for a long time. After breaking the records, he's playing better than ever."
After praising Djokovic, Medvedev also explained that other players' inconsistent form was largely due to the long ATP season. "Based on the points, we were different at some points, especially at the end of the season," Medvedev added. "Every season is different and anything can happen. For example, Tsitsipas, who reached the Australian Open final at the beginning of the year, but fell apart the rest of the year for various reasons. Next year, he can come back and beat anyone."
Medvedev also believes he can make a breakthrough next year. "I'm getting older, I'm not 23 anymore and I want to do more," the Russian said. "I've improved a lot in the last two years and I want to continue to see where my limits are."
Vy Anh
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