Times Challenge: Gilles Simon Reflects on Djokovics Struggles Against Age

The former coach of Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev, the ex-world No. 6, Frenchman Gilles Simon, shared his thoughts on the physical condition of 37-year-old Novak Djokovic.

«If there’s a player who knows the way, it’s Novak. He’s grappling with something complex, something that everyone faces—time. It only moves in one direction, and I’m sure he’s putting in a lot of effort to stay as healthy as possible. The challenge lies not in tennis itself but in the body. That’s why I once stated he wouldn’t win 30 Grand Slam tournaments. I suggested that if he reached 25 titles, that would be his ceiling. Today, we realize that, indeed, time prevails over everyone, and he recognizes that now.

I’m sure he understood it before, but perhaps it’s only now that he truly feels it. However, there will be good weeks for him, and when those occur, Novak transforms into the player we know—one who can win anything,» Simon’s remarks were reported by Tennis 365.