Novak Djokovic is one Monte Carlo title away from a Triple Career Golden Masters

By winning Cincinnati in 2018, Novak Djokovic became the first player ever to complete a Career Golden Masters, which means winning every Masters 1000 event at least once in his career.

Then, he lapped the competition in 2020 when won Cincinnati again—when it was held in New York—as he became the first player ever to complete a Double Career Golden Masters, or winning every Masters 1000 event at least twice.

Now, he can lap the competition again.

If he wins Monte Carlo this week, Djokovic would become the first player ever to complete a Triple Career Golden Masters, or winning every Masters 1000 event at least three times.

It’s the only Masters 1000 event he hasn’t won three times.

DJOKOVIC’S MASTERS 1000 TITLES BY EVENT (40 total):
~ Indian Wells (5): 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016
~ Miami (6): 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016
~ Monte Carlo (2): 2013, 2015
~ Madrid (3): 2011, 2016, 2019
~ Rome (6): 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2020, 2022
~ Canada (4): 2007, 2011, 2012, 2016
~ Cincinnati (3): 2018, 2020, 2023
~ Shanghai (4): 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018
~ Paris (7): 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023

It wouldn’t be his first historic triple career set, either—he’s already the only man ever with a Triple Career Slam, or winning every Grand Slam event three times each (he’s won 10 Australian Opens, three Roland Garroses, seven Wimbledons and four US Opens).

Djokovic, a two-time Monte Carlo champion in 2013 and 2015, downplayed expectations in his pre-tournament presser.

“My expectations are not very high, to be honest, just because the way I was playing this year, the tournaments and also the results that I had in Monaco in the previous years were not great, so I keep my expectations low,” he said. “For me it’s really about building my game on clay courts and trying to reach that peak again in Paris—that’s where I want to play my best tennis. Anything else that I do well, in terms of results here in Monaco or any other clay tournament, is a bonus. So let’s see what happens.”

At the same time, he’s excited to play the event, as always.

“I always love playing in Monte Carlo. It’s been a residence of mine for many years. Both of my children are born in Monte Carlo, so I really consider it a home, and a place where I spend countless hours of training in this club, and I know people who are working at the courts, so it feels comfortable, it feels at home.

“Maybe it’s also added pressure that you want to play your best at home, in the home environment, a place where people, family, come and see you. And also the fact that clay is the most demanding surface in our sport, that for some players—like myself—it requires a little bit more time to really reach the top level. So that’s probably the case, even though earlier in my career I was doing better in Monte Carlo. The titles that I’ve won here were in 2013 and 2015, quite a long time ago. But yeah, the last maybe five, six, seven editions I had here haven’t been very successful, and I’m always hoping that can change.

“So I’m always going into the tournament with a big dose of enthusiasm and excitement. I didn’t play the tournament in Miami and had extra time to practice on clay and get my body and my game adjusted to this surface, so let’s see how it goes.”

In addition to his two titles in 2013 and 2015, Djokovic has gone deep plenty of times in Monte Carlo—he’s also a two-time finalist (2009 and 2012), a three-time semifinalist (2008, 2010 and 2014) as well as a two-time quarterfinalist (2017 and 2019).

And winning Monte Carlo three times is a very rare feat. Since the Masters 1000 level of tournament began in 1990, only two men have achieved that feat—Thomas Muster and Rafael Nadal.

The world No. 1 kicked off his 2024 campaign in dominant fashion on Tuesday, losing just six points in seven service games en route to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over No. 41-ranked Roman Safiullin.