"We cannot blame Novak Djokovic" - Alize Lim supports Serb's focus on Grand Slams and representing Serbia; points at Federer, Nadal similarities

French tennis player Alize Lim recently supported Novak Djokovic's decision to prioritize Grand Slams and international events over regular ATP tournaments. She also pointed out how Djokovic's case was similar to that of greats such as Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

The year 2024 has fallen short of the 37-year-old's expectations. Despite an impressive 32-8 win-loss record, he has yet to claim a tour-level title. The World No. 4 came close to securing his 25th Major at Wimbledon but lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the final.

Despite a challenging season, Djokovic achieved a significant milestone by winning his first Olympic gold at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, completing the career Golden Slam. He recently played a crucial role in Serbia's triumph over Greece at the Davis Cup World Group 1 in Belgrade on 14 September.

After the match, Djokovic emphasized that his focus would be on Grand Slams and representing Serbia in international tournaments, stating that he will no longer prioritize his ranking or participation in regular ATP events.

During a recent appearance on the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast, Alize Lim was asked if anything was surprising about Djokovic's statements. In Response, Lim claimed that his prioritization of Grand Slams has likely been his approach for years, even if unspoken.

"No I think it has been like that for a while. It's just maybe he didn't express it that much, but deep down I am sure it has been that for a few years and maybe he was almost using those Masters 1000 as like preparations tournaments which is crazy when you think about it. But he has so many records with those," she said (at 14:01).

The 34-year-old further acknowledged the Serb's need to manage his schedule wisely due to age and recovery challenges, noting that all top players like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer focus on chasing Major titles.

"I mean at his age and his body like he said for two years already, being it's way more difficult to recover, he has to be smart with his calendar. But it goes the same for Roger, it's been the same for Rafa and at some point of course they are just chasing Majors. We cannot blame him for that," she added.

Lim also expressed gratitude for the 24-time Grand Slam winner's dedication to the sport, highlighting his commitment to represent Serbia.

"We can only thank him to fight so hard for so long to keep playing so we can still enjoy watching him. I love the fact that he still put so much energy into Davis Cup because he loves playing for his country so much and seems like it's just as important as the Grand Slams for him," she added.

Djokovic's singles victory over Ioannis Xilas and his doubles win with Hamad Medjedovic against Aristotelis Thanos and Petros Tsitsipas were vital in securing Serbia's 3-1 triumph over Greece.

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"At home is the most beautiful": Novak Djokovic after Serbia's Davis Cup triumph over Greece

Novak Djokovic at Davis Cup World Group I: Serbia v Greece - Source: Getty

Novak Djokovic thanked the home crowd following Serbia's emphatic Davis Cup triumph over Greece. The Serb called this the most beautiful feeling and wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) handle:

"At home is the most beautiful. Thank you for your support,” Djokovic wrote on X (Translated from Serbian).

As winners, Serbia is among the 12 World Group I teams now vying for next year's Davis Cup Qualifiers, while Greece will prepare for the World Group I Play-offs in 2025 as one of the defeated nations.

Djokovic also recently participated in an exhibition match against Grigor Dimitrov, where the Bulgarian emerged victorious with a score of 6-4, 2-6, 10-6.