Novak Djokovic will turn 37 next year, but he says his hunger for success will only grow, with young challengers reawakening the "beast" in him.
The world No. 1 had an amazing 2023, winning three of the four Grand Slams, bringing his career total to 24, two more than his great rival Rafael Nadal and four more than the retired Roger Federer.
However, Djokovic did not have it all his own way, as 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz denied him a fifth straight Wimbledon title in a thrilling final, and 22-year-old Jannik Sinner dashed Serbia's Davis Cup hopes.
"The young guys who are very hungry and inspired to play their best tennis against me is an additional motivation," Djokovic said on CBS' "60 Minutes."
"I think they kind of awaken a beast in me."
Djokovic has beaten Alcaraz in three of their four meetings this year, including the French Open semifinals, where the Spaniard suffered full-body cramps, but he believes his young rival has emerged as a serious threat.
“He’s as complete of a player as I have seen in ages,” Djokovic said, adding that he used his defeat in the Wimbledon final as motivation for the U.S. hardcourt swing, where he won at Cincinnati and Flushing Meadows.
“It’s a great opportunity for me to reinvent myself and really push harder than I ever did.”
