Novak Djokovic, huh? He’s got some big dreams. Like, we’re talking Golden Calendar Slam in 2024 big. But Alex Corretja, former world number 2 on the ATP Tour, isn’t buying it.
So, what’s this Golden Calendar Slam? Well, it’s probably the most impressive thing you can do in a tennis season. It’s like winning everything that matters. Steffi Graff did it once, bagging all four Grand Slams in a year, including the Gold Medal at the Olympics. Yeah, it’s that tough.
It’s not just about winning all four Grand Slams, which is rare enough. You also gotta win the Gold Medal at the Olympics. Not exactly a walk in the park, right?
Djokovic, though, he thinks he can pull it off in 2024. It’s a goal for him, but he knows it’s gonna be a tough ride. But hey, he’s got some reasons to be confident.
He was so close to winning the Calendar Grand Slam this year. Just a bit of bad luck in the Wimbledon final cost him that. He’s definitely got the skills, and confidence isn’t something he’s short of.
But Alex Corretja? He’s not so sure about Djokovic’s chances. He thinks it would be the greatest thing someone ever did in tennis. Djokovic isn’t exactly a spring chicken anymore, and there are these young players coming up and pushing him hard. To pull all of that off in 2024? Sounds crazy.
“I think that would be a little bit surprising [to win a Golden Slam]. Because even if he improves his game so much, he’s getting older. It’s normal that he is getting older and the recovery is not the same,” Corretja says.
Despite his doubts about the Golden Calendar Slam, Corretja is pretty certain that Djokovic will win a few more Grand Slams before he’s done.
“I’m sure that he’s going to keep on winning Slams, but it’s going to be tougher and tougher and he knows that,” he adds.
Takeaways
‣ Novak Djokovic has plans to achieve the Golden Calendar Slam in 2024, which involves winning all four Grand Slams and the Olympic Gold Medal in a single year.
‣ Despite Djokovic’s confidence, former world number 2, Alex Corretja, expresses doubt due to the difficulty of the feat and the rise of younger players in the sport.
‣ Corretja believes that while Djokovic may not achieve the Golden Calendar Slam, he will continue to win more Grand Slams in the future.