Marion Bartoli has suggested that it is too early to discuss the prospect of the end of Novak Djokovic after the Serbian’s latest loss against Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open semifinals.
Tennis coach and presenter asserted that, while the “young generation is pushing”, Djokovic’s loss to the Italian in Melbourne remains and anomaly.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion was handed a decisive 1-6, 2-6, 7-6(5), 3-6 defeat by Jannik Sinner and eventual Champion in semis of the 2024 Australian Open.
Before the semifinals, Djokovic had a 10-0 streak in semifinals and was entering the match on the back of a 33 successive match wins. The 36-year-old sealed three of the four Grand Slam in a stellar 2023 campaign and also clinched the ATP Year-End Finals title to claim the ATP year-end World No. 1 title for a record-extending 8th time.
Speaking to Les Grandes Gueules du Sport show on RMC Sports, Bartoli talked about the impact of Djokovic’s hectic 2023 season in the beginning of 2024.
“He is a player who arrived worn and tired from a year 2023 which was exceptional for him. Now, we know that he has four big deadlines remaining: the three remaining Grand Slam tournaments and the Olympic Games,” said the 2013 Wimbledon Singles Champion.
“There, he will take a break and recharge his batteries with his family and then he will prepare for Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the Olympics, which will be a very tough sequence since we change surfaces twice, and he will prepare for background on that.
“And even if the young generation is pushing, it is obvious, for me, [his] defeat remains an accident. We cannot say that this is the end of Djokovic, it is far too premature to get into that. He actually missed his Australian Open but he won’t miss his season, I can guarantee you that.”
After Djokovic won the 2023 ATP Finals, Bartoli took to twitter and showered high praise on the Serbian’s remarkable achievements in 2023.
“Djokovic is not only the greatest tennis player of all time but he is also the best sportsman in the world. Novak has broken all the records in this sport 🎾 and above all this incredible longevity in staying at the top! #respect,” wrote the former WTA World No. 7.
Since retiring from the sport, Bartoli, 39 has coached Latvian WTA star Jelena Ostapenko and is currently working as a Sky Sports commentator and analyst.