Iga Swiatek highlights what Novak Djokovic does which other players can learn from

Iga Swiatek acknowledged something Novak Djokovic has become a master at that other players can learn from.

The Pole is currently in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia preparing for the WTA Finals, where she is the defending champion.

It will be a tough tournament for the 23-year-old, who has not played since her quarter-final exit from the US Open in September.

During that time she has hired a new coach and also recharge her batteries following a long and gruelling summer of tennis.

What does Iga Swiatek think players can learn from Novak Djokovic?

The congested 2024 tennis schedule has been a major talking point at times during the season.

There has been a very short turnaround between events and some Masters and WTA 1000 events have been lengthened from one week to two weeks, leaving less time for players to rest and recover.

Novak Djokovic has played sparingly in 2024 to ensure he is ready for the Grand Slams and to preserve his body as he continues to get older.

He has been very strategic with the events he chooses to play, and Iga Swiatek thinks other players should learn to do the same.

“Understanding this long-term thing, for sure, is important if I want my career to be really long and balancing everything out. But honestly, well, sometimes it’s hard to make a decision,” he said.

“You can see the most experienced players on tour, they are a bit older, skipping some tournaments, but actually being able to play their best games on Grand Slams, the biggest events that they really care about. I think Novak, for example, is a great example of that. We can learn from people like that.”

How many tournaments has Novak Djokovic played in 2024?

Djokovic has played in just 10 tournaments in 2024 as he becomes even more strategic with his schedule.

Six of these events were either the Grand Slams or team tournaments representing Serbia, such as the Olympics, where Djokovic won the gold medal and Davis Cup.

These are the types of events Djokovic is prioritising, and any other tournaments that can help him peak for those that mean the most to him.

“To prolong my career, I need to choose wisely the tournaments I am going to play,” he said back in September. “My main priorities are playing for the national team and Slams, everything else is less important.”