The Olympic Committee of Serbia had an easy job of picking the male athlete of 2023, with Novak Djokovic securing the honor. Novak claimed his tenth Olympic Committee of Serbia award following a stellar run that saw him winning seven ATP titles, including three Majors and two Masters 1000 trophies. The 36-year-old kept the young rivals behind for another season, notching his eighth year-end no. 1 honor and extending his incredible tennis legacy. Novak started the season in Adelaide, returning to this event after 16 years. Djokovic ousted Daniil Medvedev in the semi-final and faced Sebastian Korda in the title clash. The Serb prevailed 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 in three hours and nine minutes, matching Rafael Nadal’s 92 ATP titles!
Novak denied a match point in the closing stages of the second set and emerged at the top with a late break in the decider. Djokovic was the favorite in Melbourne, and he proved that on the court despite a leg injury in the early stages. Novak met Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final and scored a 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 victory in two hours and 55 minutes. Thus, Djokovic became the second player with ten titles at a single Major and matched Nadal’s 22 Major trophies. Novak lost serve once and stole the rival’s serve two times to prevail in a tight contest and write history books. The Serb missed Indian Wells and Miami due to his vaccination status and raised his form on clay ahead of Roland Garros.
Novak Djokovic, Roland Garros 2023© Clive Brunskill / Staff – Getty Images Sport
Djokovic lost to Holger Rune in the Rome Masters quarter-final before showing his A-game in Paris. Novak defeated world no. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-final and toppled Casper Ruud in the title clash, becoming the first player with 23 Major titles and the only one with three trophies at all four Majors! Novak’s streak at Wimbledon ended in a thrilling title clash against Carlos Alcaraz, with the Spaniard denying the Sewrb’s 24th Major title with a 1-6, 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 triumph in four hours and 42 minutes. Two great rivals pushed each other to the limits in windy conditions, creating 34 break points and delivering five breaks each. Djokovic made a flying start and left the young gun miles behind in the opening set.
Novak Djokovic received the Olympic Committee of Serbia honor.
The Serb created a set point in the tie break of the second set, missing it with a loose backhand that would cost him dearly. Alcaraz stole it and had the upper hand in the third set, winning a marathon game five after nearly half an hour! Novak bounced back in the fourth set, gathering a boost ahead of the decider. Carlos made a fresh start and clinched a break in the third game with a backhand down the line winner. The Spaniard served for the title at 5-4 and held at 30 to celebrate his second Major title at 20. Two great rivals met again in the Cincinnati final and produced a cracker! Djokovic defended a match point in a 5-7, 7-6, 7-6 victory in three hours and 49 minutes, lifting his 39th Masters 1000 crown!
Novak Djokovic, US Open 2023© Clive Brunskill / Staff – Getty Images Sport
Carlos led 7-5, 4-2 before Novak found extra energy, engineering a comeback under a scorching Ohio sun and gathering a massive boost ahead of the US Open. Djokovic pulled the break back in the second set and fended off a match point to force a decider after two hours and ten minutes. They saved the best for last, battling for over an hour and a half and bringing more drama and excitement. Novak missed his chances on the return at 2-2 before seizing the fifth break point at 3-3 to move in front. Alcaraz faced two match points on serve in the ninth game, defending them and battling against two more on Djokovic’s serve in game ten. The Spaniard stayed alive and pulled the break back on his fourth opportunity after the Serb’s loose smash, locking the result at 5-5.
They embraced a tie break, and Djokovic forced Alcaraz’s mistake in the ninth point for 5-4. Novak created two match points with a powerful serve and fired another on the first to seal the deal and celebrate a massive victory. Djokovic lifted his 24th Major title at the US Open, cementing his GOAT status. Novak played against Daniil Medvedev in the final and delivered a 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 win in three hours and 16 minutes, finishing his season at Majors with three titles from four finals! Medvedev fought well in the second set, wasting a set point in the 12th game and losing ground after that to propel Djokovic over the top. Novak moved into the driving seat in the year-end no. 1 battle, reducing his schedule by the end of the year.
Novak Djokovic, Australian Open 2023© Lintao Zhang / Staff – Getty Images Sport
Djokovic entered his favorite Paris Masters as a player to beat and proved that on the court despite a couple of shaky performances. The Serb reached the final and ousted Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-3 in an hour and 38 minutes for his milestone 40th Masters 1000 title. Win over Grigor was Novak’s 399th at a Masters 1000 level, hoping to notch the 400th in March in Indian Wells. Two weeks later, Djokovic celebrated his 98th ATP title at the ATP Finals in Turin, scoring four wins and wrapping up the year in style! Novak lost to Jannik Sinner in the round-robin stage and fixed that in the final, earning a rock-solid 6-3, 6-3 win in an hour and 43 minutes.
The Serb earned his seventh ATP Finals title, leaving Roger Federer on six. Also, Djokovic passed Alcaraz with seven ATP titles in 2023, finishing as a well-deserved year-end no. 1. Novak served well and kept the pressure on the other side, stealing Jannik’s serve three times and emerging at the top. Djokovic’s last match of the season came against Sinner in the Davis Cup semi-final. Novak created three match points in a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 loss, experiencing a massive setback and failing to propel Serbia into the final. Jannik denied those match points in the deciding set’s tenth game, gathering a boost and rattling off three games en route to his second victory over Novak.
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