"Novak Djokovic will not make the same mistake twice" - Serbian's former coach Marian Vajda on Calendar Slam aspirations

Novak Djokovic's former coach Marian Vajda believes that the Serbian is well placed to clinch the Calendar Slam - winning all four Majors in a year - in 2023.

Djokovic came close to achieving it when he won the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon Championships in 2021. He, however, lost to Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final.

This year, the 36-year-old has won the Australian Open and French Open and heads into the Wimbledon Championships as the four-time defending champion.

Vajda, who won 20 Majors in his two decades with Djokovic, stated that the World No. 1 is on course to win the Calendar Slam.

He also feels that the US Open is the only Major where he could be troubled.

"Of course [Calendar Grand Slam is a possibility]. He has a great opportunity at Wimbledon, and the psychological aspect would decide in the United States. I think the competition will be tougher there; unlike on grass, [Carlos] Alcaraz will be a very dangerous defender on hard, [Alexander] Zverev is back, [Daniil] Medvedev will play better, Nole will have a lot of competition in New York," he told Punto de Break.

In 2021, Djokovic's Calendar Slam bid was interrupted by the Tokyo Olympics, where he lost in the semifinals to Alexander Zverev and in the bronze medal match to Pablo Carreno Busta.

"This year, yes, there are no Olympic Games, so Novak will not make the same mistake twice," Vajda opined.

Rod Laver (1969) remains the only male player to achieve the feat in the Open Era.

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Novak Djokovic: “I'd like to get another chance to go for history again”

Novak Djokovic is a 23-time Grand Slam champion.

After winning the 2023 French Open, Novak Djokovic revealed that he has set his sights on the Calendar Slam.

In an interview after his Paris Major triumph, Djokovic expressed his desire to have another go "for history" at the US Open.

He, however, acknowledged that he will have to win Wimbledon first, before turning his attention to the New York Major.

“I’d like to get another chance in New York. Of course, I have to win Wimbledon, which is a whole different mountain to climb. The fact that I won the last four Wimbledons gives me a lot of confidence and I look forward to that,” he said.

“If that happens, I'd love to get a chance to go for another chance at the history in New York,” he added. “I missed the history couple [of] years ago in the last match, with [Daniil] Medvedev.”