Former World No.21 believes Novak Djokovic lacks motivation for tournaments outside the Grand Slams

Novak Djokovic has not won a tour-level title since November 2023 and for the first time in seven years failed to win a Grand Slam last year.

Former World No.21 believes Novak Djokovic lacks motivation for tournaments outside the Grand Slams

Novak Djokovic (Image via ATP/X)

Novak Djokovic has struggled to produce the same level of performance that he did during the 2023 season. In fact, he has not won any ATP title since November 2023. Despite the Serbian’s determination to win his 100th tour-level title, he always failed when it mattered. That has led former ATP player Steve Johnson to believe that the struggle as a result of lack of motivation.

Previously, Djokovic has always been placed as the Top favorite to win any tournament he competed in. But since this last season, he has been relegated to be behind Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in the favorites ranking. Also, even in tournaments where he’s the top-ranked player he has failed to make it to the final.

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He did that at the ATP 250 Geneva Open in May, reaching the semifinals. At Brisbane International earlier this year, he exited in the quarterfinals after losing to Reilly Opelka in the quarter-finals. In his first ATP 500 tournament of the season, he lost to Matteo Berrettini in the first round at the Qatar Open.

Djokovic has only managed to do well this season at the Australian Open, where he got to the semifinals and, if not for an injury may have won it. But, in other tournaments, he has been struggling. That has led Steve Johnson claim that the Serbian lacks motivation to play in ATP events.

I understand that Djokovic has financial obligations and several pre-existing commitments, but I’m not quite sure what he gains from playing in ATP 500 events. I believe Djokovic doesn’t feel as motivated to win in Dubai or Doha as he does for a Grand Slam, and I get that because those are the events that can extend his legacy. Additionally, he has earned the right to choose where he plays and where he doesn’t.

Steve Johnson said via Nothing Major podcast

Djokovic next tournament is the Indian Wells Masters, which is slated to begin on the 2nd of March. The World No.7 has won the Indian Wells title five times in his career, but last lifted the trophy in 2016, nine years ago.

Steve Johnson reveals the reason Novak Djokovic is still competing at the highest level

Novak Djokovic failed to win a Grand Slam title last season for the first time since 2017. The former World No.1 won the 2023 US Open and has since then struggled to show the same determination he did in that tournament. This year already, he failed to win the Australian for the 11th time after withdrawing from the semifinal match due to injury.

Novak Djokovic 1
Novak Djokovic (Image via ATP/X)

During the aforementioned conversation, Steve Johnson added that Djokovic just wanted to win a Grand Slam, which then cement his ace ad the greatest tennis player in history.

It feels like he just wants to win Slams to continue his legacy and stamp as the greatest champion of the sport we have ever seen. I am not sure what Novak’s plan is going forward, nobody knows it but him, don’t know why he is playing this tournament just in general.

Steve Johnson said

Djokovic’s next Grand Slam event will be at the French Open. The 24-time major champion last won the event in 2023 and last year suffered a knee injury. However, it was at the same venue he won his Olympic gold medal.