2024-03-19 03:40:25
The world number one tennis player is struggling. Even after a quarter of the season, Serbian Novak Djokovic does not have a single title on his account. He was escorted out of Indian Wells by a player of the second hundred, but he opted out of Miami instead. According to American legend Jimmy Connors, the old age of the Grand Slam record holder is starting to show.
Three defeats, only eight games won and no title, not even a final. This is a very bad start to the year for the world number one.
After the sudden end in the third round of the “fifth grand slam” in Indian Wells, Djokovic even withdrew from the Masters in Miami. He wants to prepare for European clay enterprises.
“I was taken aback by the poor level of my game. I was making an awful lot of unforced errors and I couldn’t improve,” he shook his head after being escorted out of the Californian desert by 20-year-old Italian Luca Nardi.
And according to former American tennis legend Jimmy Connors, age is the main problem in Djokovic’s failure this year.
“Age is something you can’t beat. No matter how hard you fight, no matter how hard you try to beat it through diet, training or recovery, that number on your passport will catch up with you,” the eight-time Grand Slam champion said on his Advantage Connors podcast.
That comparison is offered. Alex de Minaur, 25 years old. Jannik Sinner, 22, Luca Nardi, 20. Those are the three men who beat Djokovic this year, all significantly younger than the native of Belgrade.
“When you’re playing against players who are 15 years younger, experience is useless. The thing about experience is that by the time you get it, you’re too old to use it,” Connors thinks.
Djokovic himself admitted that he needed to knock some rust off his game in Indian Wells, because he hadn’t played for a long time before the start in California, and it’s harder for an older player to get back into shape quickly.
“At this stage of my career, I’m trying to balance my private and professional schedule. I’m sorry, but this year I won’t be able to experience some of the best and most passionate fans in Miami,” the Serbian announced afterwards on social media.
His next tournament will most likely be the clay Masters event in Monte Carlo in April.