[ad_1]
Tennis world number one Novak Djokovic targeted a medal for Serbia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as he set out his ambitions ahead of his return to the circuit at the Dubai Open.
Djokovic, 34, reached the semi-final at the Tokyo Games last July but he succumbed to Alexander Zverev who went on to claim gold for Germany.
A day after the defeat, Djokovic lost to Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta in the bronze medal match.
“An Olympic medal, especially gold, is always a big wish,” Djokovic told Radio Television of Serbia as he put the finishing touches to his preparations for the Dubai Open which he has won five times.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t have a chance to fight for the gold in the past. I plan to be in Paris in 2024.
“I have rewound my match with Zverev in Tokyo many times, trying to figure out what went wrong. I played superbly up to that point, but I did feel I was running on fumes, both mentally and physically.”
Djokovic went into the final of the US Open in September as the first man with a chance to claim all four Grand Slam titles in the same calendar year since Rod Laver in 1969. Djokovic had also been hoping to hoist a record 21st Grand Slam singles title
But Daniil Medvedev beat him in straight sets to win his first Grand Slam trophy.
In January, Djokovic started as hot favourite for a record-extending 10th Australian Open crown – and the record 21st singles title – but he was unable to feature in Melbourne after he was deported due to problems with his visa and his refusal to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.
During an 11-day ordeal, he spent five nights in an immigration detention hostel as lawyers sifted through hitherto confidential medical files in open court before the world’s media.
“I will always remember all the nice things that have happened to me in Melbourne,” he said.
“Despite all this, I have a great connection with Australia. Results that I have had in Melbourne in the past show you how I feel when I go there.
“Everything that has happened this year was totally unexpected. It will be hard to forget, but I want to come back to Australia in the future and to play at the Rod Laver Arena again.”
Djokovic said in an interview with British broadcasters that he is prepared to miss Grand Slam tournaments and other competitions rather than have a vaccination.
“Everything that has happened will affect my return in Dubai,” Djokovic added.
“I will try to channel all this energy, to turn it into fuel both mentally and physically. For sure, there is extra motivation.”
Originally published on RFI
[ad_2]
Source link
