"Novak Djokovic is still trying to get better, that's a scary thought" - Martina Navratilova on Serb's 'impressive' success even after turning 30

Novak Djokovic turned 36 in May last year, but age doesn't seem to be slowing the Serb down. Martina Navratilova recently said that the thought of Djokovic still trying to improve his game is "scary," as athletes usually get slower after turning 30.

Djokovic is currently competing at the 2024 Australian Open, where he has reached the fourth round. He is set to face Adrian Mannarino on Sunday, having defeated Dino Prižmić, Alexei Popyrin, and Tomás Martín Etcheverry in the first three rounds.

During a recent Tennis Channel podcast, Navratilova said that Djokovic has had great coaches since his formative years, such as Jelena Genčić, who helped shape his mindset and cover the basics.

She added that it's impressive that the Serb is striving to improve despite being in his late 30s and that he is still winning trophies instead of slowing down.

“He is the constant professional and I think he had the mindset and he had the great coach Jelena, and other coaches that came after her. So he had all the basics covered from a very early age and he's still trying to get better and that's a scary thought, but to win that much after thirty is just impressive," Martina Navratilova said (34:00).

"I don't care what happened before thirty, you're just built from another DNA because things get harder, you slow down and Novak hasn't slowed down yet,” she added.

Novak Djokovic has won 12 Grand Slam titles since turning 30 in 2017 - four Australian Opens, four Wimbledon Championships, two French Opens, and two US Opens. Serena Williams, who retired in 2022, is behind him on the 30+ list with 10, while Rafael Nadal has won eight Majors since turning 30.

---

“With Novak Djokovic, I think the only weakness he has may be too much chocolate” - Martina Navratilova

2024 Australian Open - (GETTY IMAGES)

On the same podcast, Martina Navratilova was asked if Djokovic had any weaknesses, to which she said, "Not on the tennis court." She added (33:18):

“You try not to have anything that players can pick on but there's usually an opening and mine was that my backhand was not as good as my forehand so people came in on my backhand, and I had a hard time getting it back. With Novak, I think the only weakness he has may be too much chocolate, I don't know, but certainly that weakness is not on the tennis court.”

Navratilova had a highly successful career herself, securing 18 Grand Slam singles titles, 31 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 10 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.