Novak Djokovic: "I'm going for all possible records, I've never had a problem saying that and that may be why people don't like me"

Novak Djokovic has boldly declared his aim to surpass Jimmy Connors' record for most ATP titles, following his historic triumph at the 2023 Paris Masters.

On Sunday, November 5, Djokovic clinched his record-extending seventh Paris Masters title with a dominant 6-4, 6-3 victory over Grigor Dimitrov. With his win, the Serb became the first player to win 40 ATP Masters 1000 titles, extending his lead over Rafael Nadal, who holds 36.

Furthermore, the victory marked the 97th tour-level title for the 24-time Grand Slam champion, bringing him closer to Roger Federer (103) and Jimmy Connors (109) in the all-time list.

In an exclusive interview with Serbian publication Kurir, Novak Djokovic disclosed his ambition to surpass Connors' long-standing record, being just 12 titles away from the feat.

"As far as the record for the number of ATP tournaments won is concerned, everything is possible. Why shouldn't I try to break that record too? Now I have 12 less but I also have a few more years of successful tennis, and I try to enjoy these moments that now mean and are worth - double," he said (Translated from Serbian).

"When you consider the stage of my life and career that I'm in, and to win such a big tournament - although it may seem routine to people, and it's not at all - every win at the Masters and Grand Slam levels really means so much to me," he added.

The World No. 1 also declared his determination to break as many records as possible, despite his public pursuit making him unpopular with fans. The 36-year-old emphasized his commitment to openly chasing his goals, regardless of he how is perceived by others.

"I'm going for all possible records, all that I can break. I've never had a problem saying that. And that may be why people don't like me; I didn't pretend to be someone - to say that it's not my goal, and then to behave differently... I always tried to be in line with what I believe!" he said.

Novak Djokovic on course to secure year-end World No. 1 ranking for record-extending eighth time after Paris Masters triumph

The Serb at the 2023 Paris Masters

With his triumph at the 2023 Paris Masters, Novak Djokovic has significantly bolstered his chances of claiming his record-extending eighth year-end World No. 1 ranking.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion currently holds 11,445 points, giving him a considerable lead over Carlos Alcaraz, who has 8,455 points to his name. However, Djokovic will be defending 1,500 points at the upcoming ATP Finals, while Alcaraz, who did not participate in the event last year, has no points at stake.

If the Spaniard wins the title in Turin, he can reach a maximum of 9,955 points, surpassing Djokovic by 10 points. However, a single win at the year-end championships carries 200 points, which would be enough for the Serb to secure the year-end No. 1 ranking.