In a surprising turn of events at the 2024 Australian Open, Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion and World No. 1, suffered a crushing defeat in the semifinals against Jannik Sinner. The loss prevented Djokovic from securing his 11th Australian Open title and brought an end to his remarkable 33-match winning streak at Melbourne Park.
Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams’ former coach, took to social media to analyze Djokovic’s performance, labeling it as one of the Serb’s “worst” showings ever. Mouratoglou suggested that the burden of expectation might have played a role in Djokovic’s unexpected defeat.
“I would not be surprised if Novak would feel relieved after that tournament. He didn’t realize how heavy that was on his shoulders,” Mouratoglou remarked. “So that was very shocking to see Novak in the semifinals of a Grand Slam being so unable to play. And Djokovic played the match that is one of the worst, I think, I’ve seen from him. He wasn’t there. He was definitely not on that court on that day.”
Mouratoglou pointed out that Jannik Sinner’s confidence in defeating Djokovic stemmed from their recent encounters, specifically mentioning Sinner’s victories at the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup. The French coach emphasized the importance of these wins in shaping Sinner’s belief in his ability to prevail over the World No. 1.
“I think one of the keys is the end of last season, the fact that Sinner beat him two times, and the last time was the most painful because we know how Davis Cup is important for Novak. That is probably the number one explanation for Sinner being able to play such a good match and Djokovic being unable to play that match,” Mouratoglou explained.
Despite the disappointment in Djokovic’s performance, Mouratoglou expressed optimism about the Serb’s future, stating his belief that Djokovic would bounce back and win two to three Grand Slam titles in the coming year.
“Now he’s probably too disappointed, but in a few days, ‘wow, they were so heavy. I come back to normal pressure, the pressure I’m used to, which is the pressure of being number one and the greatest player of all time.’ But this is why I feel too much for him. I still think that Novak is going to win two to three Grand Slams this year,” Mouratoglou concluded.
As the tennis world reflects on Djokovic’s unexpected defeat, all eyes will be on the Serb’s upcoming performances, eager to witness if Mouratoglou’s predictions for a triumphant return to the Grand Slam stage will come to fruition.
Novak Djokovic in 2024
LWWWWWWLWW At the moment ranked no.1, Djokovic played his last match on the 26th of January when he lost to world no.4 Jannik Sinner 6-1 6-2 6-7(6) 6-3 in the semifinal of the Australian Open (draw).
Presently, during this year Djokovic has achieved a composed 7-2 record. Novak Djokovic’s latest run at the Australian Open was the best achievement of his season.
Djokovic is scheduled to compete next in Indian Wells (BNP Paribas Open). He will start the tournament from the main draw that will commence on the 4th of March.
Novak Djokovic |
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