Andy Roddick believes Novak Djokovic's dip in form in 2024 is concerning as the ATP season reaches its halfway mark.
Djokovic's disjointed year has been unproductive by his high standards. The World No. 1 has not won a title so far and is on course to record his longest trophyless start to a season since he won his first ATP title.
If Djokovic does not win either Roland Garros or Wimbledon in the next two months, he will set a personal record for the longest trophy drought of his career. The last time he went at least six months without a title to start the year was in 2018 when he won Wimbledon as the opening title of the season.
In 2024, he has only played four tournaments and made fundamental changes to his coaching team, like parting ways with Goran Ivanisevic and fitness coach Marco Panichi.
His best results were reaching the semifinal of the Australian Open and Monte-Carlo Masters. The 36-year-old has another title defense coming up, and this one will be decisive because he will put his Roland Garros crown on the line in Paris.
A third-round defeat to Alejandro Tabilo in Rome has changed the mood among tennis analysts. Former World No. 1 Roddick became increasingly apprehensive of the Serbian's game when speaking on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast.
"I’m more concerned about his tennis game than I’ve been in probably like, 15 years. Knowing that, maybe he just needs a bunch of us saying that, you know, the kind of ‘me against the world’ mentality that he’s mastered over the course of his career. But how long can we say, ‘He’ll turn it around’? I’ve been saying that the entire year."
"This one was weird, I thought he’d ramp up. You’re looking at the French Open, at Wimbledon, he said he’s prioritised the Olympics, you felt like the ramp-up was coming. That wasn’t a ramp-up."
Djokovic's indifferent start to the season could cost him the World No. 1 ranking, as Jannik Sinner is in pole position to unseat him from the top of the standings. Even if the Italian is unfit to play at Roland Garros, he could become the new No. 1, provided Djokovic does not reach the final.