Novak Djokovic believes he is close to overcoming the health problems that have disrupted his season as he targets a strong finish at the Paris Masters to boost his chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals.
The 39-year-old Serbian, who has been chasing a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title since lifting his last major trophy at the 2023 U.S. Open, has endured an inconsistent campaign despite reaching the Australian Open final and Wimbledon semifinals. Early exits at the French Open and U.S. Open further highlighted his struggles.
Djokovic admitted that staying healthy had become a greater priority than his performances for much of the year, insisting his difficulties were not related to his preparation or training.
"This year the focus shifted to feeling well on the court rather than playing well, to be honest, because for most of the tournaments I played, I didn't play many, it was health-wise a big struggle," Djokovic told reporters.
"It had nothing to do with my preparation or whether I'm training enough, because I see there are a lot of people that love to express expert opinions on knowing exactly what's happening with me, but they don't."
The former world No. 1 has nevertheless shown flashes of his enduring quality, winning his 102nd career title in Beijing last month before suffering early eliminations in Shanghai and Basel.
He believes his recent improvement in physical condition has started to translate into better performances and a more enjoyable experience on court.
"Whenever I felt better on the court, and lately that's been the case, we're getting closer to solving what I have been going through in the last 12 months," Djokovic said.
"So right away, my performance level, my enjoyment on court, my feeling is great and I play better. Beijing was the best week of the year other than Australia and I thought I played pretty well in Basel, as well."
Djokovic acknowledged that his defeat in Basel was disappointing but said his immediate priority was to maintain his improving condition and enjoy the final weeks of the season.
"Of course that was a tight match to lose, but just trying to enjoy the last couple weeks of the season and on the court feeling better primarily," he said.
"Then the performance will come. We'll see after that."
His immediate challenge is securing a place at the ATP Finals in Turin, where only the top eight players in the season-long standings qualify.
Djokovic currently sits 11th in the race, leaving him with ground to make up, although world No. 2 Jannik Sinner's injury-related absence has improved his qualification prospects.
He begins his Paris Masters campaign against Valentin Vacherot on Tuesday, with the Nov. 2-8 tournament representing one of his final opportunities to climb the standings.
The ATP Finals will follow from Nov. 15-22, giving Djokovic little time to secure his place among the season's eight best performers.