Novak Djokovic’s 3 Biggest Regrets of 2023 Season

Novak Djokovic achieved greatness this year, but not everything went on his side. He broke through all barriers and became the player to possess the most Masters titles and grand slams. Now, he is close to breaking the most ATP singles titles records and is ready to tackle the challenge next year. Regardless of his achievements, Djokovic, at the end of the day, is a human being, and he still has certain regrets.

Despite winning many titles and even breaking the record for weeks at number 1, Novak Djokovic has fallen short on some occasions, which will live on in his mind as he enters 2024. Here’s a look at some areas where he could have improved.

Close Wimbledon final loss 

Probably the most significant one on the list is his loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final. After winning against the young Spaniard in the French Open, many would’ve expected the feat to be repeated in the grass slam. However, the Spaniard entered the court with only revenge in mind and turned it into a reality. But the Djoker didn’t take defeat lying down and fought back against his opponent.

Djokovic had won the first set quickly at 6-1. Alcaraz turned into another gear and won the second set 7-6 and the third set 6-1. The score was tied at 2-2 when both players decided to lay it all out in a grand battle. But Alcaraz won the final set 6-4 and attained his second grand slam title.

Had he won the tournament, Djokovic would have ended the year with four Grand Slam titles. Even though Djokovic bounced back in the subsequent tournaments, this loss did hit him hard and is still likely to haunt him.  

Davis Cup Semi-final defeat

The Djoker loves his home country. He leaves no stone unturned when it comes to improving the state of tennis in Serbia. He always participates in the Davis Cup and was on a 21-match winning streak in the tournament until Serbia faced Italy. The 24-time grand slam champion faced Jannik Sinner, who did not take loss for an answer. 

Image Credits: Reuters

As Serbia won the first match, all the pressure fell on both players to win. Had Djokovic won, Serbia would have moved on to the finals, but fate didn’t side with him. Jannik Sinner was desperate for a victory and took vengeance after his loss in the final bout of the Nitto ATP Finals. The final score was 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 in favor of Sinner. But his vengeance didn’t end there. 

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With the score tied 1-1, the doubles match became the deciding factor. Both Sinner and Djokovic played to make sure their team would be the one advancing. But only one team could win, and the doubles team of Italy proved to be superior. Sinner beat the Djoker twice that day, and the player went home empty-handed.

Skipping Indian Wells and Miami Open

This absence is one that Djokovic will make up for in the 2024 season. Before 12 May 2023, the USA had ruled that those who never received COVID-19 vaccinations could not enter the country. The Djoker had not taken the jab for the novel coronavirus and refused to change his mind. Hence, he had to miss the sunshine doubles, as didn’t get to play in the Indian Wells and the Miami Open.

While the regulations were set firmly, Djokovic tried to get access solely to the tournaments. Along with him, many tennis players wrote to government officials, and even the USTA wrote that his petition to be allowed in the country would be successful. However, the minds of the government officials did not change for either Indian Wells or the Miami Open.

Although he sorely missed the tournament, it didn’t change his trajectory much. He still accomplished most Masters titles in the year. However, if he had played in the two tournaments, there is a great chance he could’ve spent a few more weeks ranked number 1.

Djokovic created history this year as he became the player with the most Masters titles and slams across the sport. He did miss out on a few more achievements, but he will return with revived vigor next year to make up for areas where he fell short. For now, the Djoker would have to live with a few regrets from the 2023 season.

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