Novak Djokovic: What does 24-time Grand Slam champion have left to achieve?

Djokovic won his 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open in September

When asked how it was possible to top a stunning 2023 season, Novak Djokovic started his answer before the question had finished.

"Well, you can win four Grand Slams and Olympic gold," Djokovic said with a smile.

Knowing everything we do about the 24-time major champion, the likelihood is he was deadly serious about achieving that in 2024, in spite of the humorous delivery.

The Serbian great might be turning 37 in late May, and has won almost everything in the game there is to be won, but his insatiable appetite for success is not slowing down.

"It's not a secret that I want to break more records and make more history of the game. That's something that keeps on motivating me," said the men's world number one, who won the Australian, French and US Open titles last year.

With nobody having lifted more Grand Slam singles trophies and the Serb holding multiple individual records, Djokovic's place in the pantheon of the sport is assured.

So what other achievements will Djokovic be targeting in 2024 and the remaining years of his career?

• Five storylines to watch at the Australian Open

Standing alone with 25 Grand Slam titles

While it is already hard to argue against Djokovic being the greatest player of all time, he is currently level with Australian Margaret Court in the metric most easily used to determine the best.

Djokovic, like all top players, places the most emphasis on the Grand Slams and fine-tunes a personal calendar, which has been stripped down in his advancing years, to peak at the most important tournaments.

That move has paid dividends, with Djokovic winning seven of the 10 majors he has been able to play since the start of the 2021 season.

This dominance has enabled him to surpass the tallies of contemporaries Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams, moving him alongside Court and providing an opportunity to stand alone with a record-extending 11th men's singles title at this month's Australian Open.

Djokovic is understandably the favourite to win at Melbourne Park again, having not lost a match there since 2018.

"Being on Australian soil, I always play my best and feel my best here," said Djokovic, who said he is not feeling any pain after a recent wrist injury.

"I really want to start the year in the best possible way. It's important to have the right start and launch into the rest of the season."

Landing the Olympic gold which eludes him

The raw emotions shown in his most recent Olympic defeats illustrated how much mental focus Djokovic has put on winning the gold medal which has continued to elude him.

Tears streamed as he walked off court after a first-round defeat by Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro at Rio 2016, while he was disconsolate following a semi-final loss to Germany's Alexander Zverev at Tokyo 2020.

If he lands the title at Paris 2024, Djokovic would become only the fifth singles player - following in the footsteps of Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal - to complete a career 'Golden Slam'.

Graf became the only player to achieve a calendar 'Golden Slam', winning all four majors and the Olympics in the same year, when she swept the board in 1988.

Asked about the upcoming Olympics, Djokovic said: "It is definitely one of the highest goals this year.

"It's going to be a very congested schedule, going from the slowest to the fastest surface in sport back to the slowest - clay, grass, clay, then hard court. Obviously, that's a very demanding, challenging stretch of the year."

Djokovic won an Olympic bronze at Beijing 2008, finished fourth at London 2012 and Tokyo 2020, but lost in the first round at Rio 2016

Achieving a rare Calendar Slam

For so long Djokovic has been trying to elevate himself above Federer and Nadal in the race to be deemed the greatest men's player of all time, and another achievement which would separate the Serb is a calendar Grand Slam.

Australian great Rod Laver - in 1969 - is the only man to win the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open titles in the same year since the Open era began.

Djokovic has come close several times.

Most notably was the 2021 effort when he won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon, falling at the final hurdle when he was beaten by Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final.

Djokovic won three majors in three other years - 2011, 2015 and 2023 - and believes he can complete a clean sweep before he retires.

"It might seem unrealistic or impossible to some. It might seem arrogant to some. I don't know," Djokovic said.

"When I'm fit, when I'm at the peak of my performance, I can win any Slam or any tournament. I know that. I'm not afraid to say that.

"That mentality is not changing for 2024 or any next year potentially that I play."

Surpassing Connors to lead ATP titles

Away from the majors, Djokovic has achieved even more landmarks which make it almost inarguable that he is the greatest man to have played the game.

Clinching the end-of-season ATP Finals last year ensured he is the standalone record holder of seven titles.

Another key indicator for longevity of success is the world rankings and Djokovic is approaching 400 weeks as the world number one - more than any man or woman in history.

There is one significant record he does not hold. American player Jimmy Connors won 109 ATP Tour titles between 1972 and 1989, a marker which has never been beaten.

Federer came close with 103 and beating them both could be a target for Djokovic, who has won 98 tour-level events.

"I have always the highest ambitions and goals. That's not going to be different for the next year, that's for sure," Djokovic said.

"The drive is still there. My body has been serving me well, listening to me well. I have a great team of people around me.

"Motivation, especially for the biggest tournaments in sport, is still present. It still inspires me to keep going."