Age doesn’t seem to bother Novak Djokovic. At 36, the Serbian star seats at the top of the world ranking and is going to finish the year-end as world No.1 for 8th time. Djokovic lifted his 24th Grand Slam title after defeating Daniil Medvedev at the US Open in New York. Earlier this month, Djokovic won the Rolex Paris Masters, making it the 40th Masters 1000 title of his career.
Coco Gauff’s coach Brad Gilber has always been a long admirer of Novak Djokovic and believes the tennis star is having his best year on the men’s tour in the past 50 years.
Brad Gilbert speaks on Novak Djokovic’s 2023 season
Brad Gilbert has revealed that Novak Djokovic is enjoying the best ATP Tour season in over half a century after another dominant year. The current Coco Gauff’s coach and Andre Agassi’s former coach has heaped praise on the 36-year-old who is in action at the ATP World Tour finals in Turin.
Gilbert was one of the most familiar faces in tennis following a career that lasted 13 years on the court, in which he reached the lofty heights of World No. 4 in 1990. Since retiring, the tennis legend has had huge success becoming a coach.
He wrote this on his X page formerly known as Twitter, “This is the 50th year of the@atptour and Djokovic amazing 8th number one finish, 27-1 in slams, missed 4 hardcourt 1000’s hasn’t lost before finals since May, at 36 years young I will put this as best year potentially on men’s tour in 50 years. Djoker 2011 was incredible too especially the start. John McEnroe’s 1984 season would have been one of the best if he had won the Roland Garros, Jimmy Connors was incredible in 1974 and Federer’s best year Rafael’s best year.”
This is not the first time he has spoken openly about his admiration for Djokovic. In February Brad Gilbert said on the Holding Court with Patrick McEnroe podcast, “I think that it is definitely going to be Djokovic v everyone else this year. If I had to set an over-under, I would say two-and-a-half Slams for him.”
“He is getting better at 35. I think before, it was all about Rafa [Nadal] and Fed [Roger Federer] for him, they are measuring and making their improvements to them. The ‘Big 3’ pushed each other,” Gilbert explained.
Novak Djokovic 2023 achievements
Novak Djokovic began his 2023 season at the Adelaide International on January 1st. the Serbian won the ATP 500 event and called it a preparation for the Australian Open. The preparation helped the 36-year-old star clinch his 22nd Grand Slam title in Melbourne, making him the player with the highest Australian Open title wins.
At the ATP event in Dubai, Novak Djokovic narrowly lost to the champion Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals but took that as another preparation for the Roland Garros. In the French Open, the Serbian never encountered a tiebreak and also defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final to become the first men’s player to win 23 Grand Slam titles.
Djokovic’s second title loss came at the Wimbledon final, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in an epic-five set match that lasted nearly five hours. The Serbian had his revenge at the Cincinnati Open finals and won the 39th Masters 1000 title of his career. At the US Open, Novak Djokovic won his 24th Grand Slam and toppled Alcaraz at the top of the World ranking.
Even with the boos and stomach illness, Novak Djokovic won his 40th Masters 1000 at the Rolex Paris Masters against all odds and needed only one win at the ATP Finals in Turin to secure an 8th year-end world no.1, which he did with flying colours.
