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Jim Courier is applauding Novak Djokovic's astonishing longevity as he highlights that even all-time greats like Andre Agassi were pretty much physically done in their mid-thirties. Djokovic, who turned 36 in May, is having one of the most successful seasons of his career, having won three Grand Slams this year and he is also ranked at No 1 in the world.
What Djokovic has been doing this year is unprecedented as he is setting new standards and proving that it is possible for an athlete to still be a very dominant force in his mid-thirties. Throughout history, the majority of tennis players achieved their best success in their twenties and then started to decline in their thirties.
But with Djokovic nothing changed as the Serb is still winning the biggest titles and constantly setting new records at 36.
Courier on Djokovic's longevity
"36 was the very tail end of a lot of great careers, that lasted a long time.
I think of Andre Agassi, my peer, who played into his mid-30s, but his body was breaking down. He still was awesome but not as mobile as he was and Novak [Djokovic] doesn't look like he has lost a step, his defense looks every bit as good.
And then this year, his forehand and volleys have been better than ever. Forehand out of necessity in Australia, volleys in the final of Cincinnati against [Carlos] Alcaraz were out of this world. And he just finds a way to keep fresh and stay sharp and just keep tamping down all these challengers," Courier said on Tennis Channel's Inside-In podcast.
After becoming the first man to win 24 Grand Slams in tennis history at this year's US Open, Djokovic underlined that there is no reason for him to retire from pro tennis when he is still playing at the highest possible level.