Can Djokovic stop Alcaraz and Sinner? Even the 24-time grand slam winner has his doubts

1 month ago 19

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At 38 years old, Novak Djokovic remains one of the few people who can rival Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

The question of how to beat Sinner and Alcaraz is one that men’s tennis has been grappling with for the past two years: how do you bridge the gap to the “big two” as they dominate the slams and leave their contemporaries behind?

Novak Djokovic at a practice session on Saturday.

But even Djokovic, a 24-time grand slam singles champion, and one of the greatest players the sport has seen, doesn’t know if he’s got the “juice” in his legs to compete with the top two in the world any more.

“I don’t know what the others [players] are missing, to be honest,” he said. “I can speak on my own behalf. I’m missing a little bit of juice in my legs, to be honest, to be able to compete with these guys at the later stages of a grand slam.

“But I’m definitely giving my best, as I have in ’25, and I think I have done very well and challenged them on their route to the title. I lost, yeah, three out of four slams against either Sinner or Alcaraz ... they are the dominant forces of the men’s tennis at the moment.

Djokovic waves goodbye after retiring from his 2025 semi-final match at the Australian Open.

“I’m still trying to be in the mix. Not rankings-wise, being No.4 without really being focused on that, is also great, but you know, obviously I’m grateful to have the better ranking so that I could have eventually better draws in, you know, the first several rounds.”

Djokovic would love the opportunity to face one or both of Alcaraz and Sinner in the second week of the tournament, but said it was crucial he didn’t spend unnecessary energy in early matches.

Djokovic speaks to the media at Melbourne Park on Saturday.

But it’s not the talent that’s the question for Djokovic – it’s whether his body will hold up in five-set matches in a two-week tournament.

Injuries have been a recurring issue for the Serb, who most recently had to withdraw from the Adelaide International because he was not “physically ready”.

It means Djokovic, who ended his 2025 season in November, will head into the first slam of the season without a match under his belt.

There were reports Djokovic was suffering from neck pain earlier in the week after he cut a training session short, but he said it was so far so good at Melbourne Park, where the tournament begins on Sunday.

“You know, I took some time off, and obviously took more time to rebuild my body, because I understand that in the last couple of years, that’s what changed the most for me is it takes more time to rebuild, and it also takes more time to reset or recover,” he said.

“So, unfortunately, I had a little setback that prevented me to compete at Adelaide tournament. That’s why I didn’t go there physically, but it’s been going on very well so far here.

“Obviously, every day there is something here and there for me and I guess for each one of us, but generally, I feel good and look forward to competing.”

Djokovic had to bow out of the 2025 Australian Open following an epic 81-minute first set against Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals after tearing his hamstring.

Djokovic and Alexander Zverev embrace after the Serbian retired from the 2025 Australian Open semi-final.

It was a disappointing finish for the 10-time Australian Open champion, who had downed Alcaraz in the quarter-finals two days earlier and is still chasing his 25th major title.

But Djokovic said the pursuit of grand slam No.25 wasn’t what kept him going, and that he’d rather focus on what he has achieved rather than what was possibly yet to come.

“I mean, I hope it comes to that, but 24 is also not a bad number,” he said. “I have to appreciate that and remind myself of the amazing career I had.

“And also, you know, release some of that unnecessary pressure. I mean, obviously there is always pressure and expectations, but I don’t think it’s needed for me to really go far in terms of make it or break it type of thing, you know, it’s now or never type of mentality.

“I don’t feel it’s necessary. Neither does that allow me to excel and perform my best ... I know that when I’m healthy, when I’m able to put all the pieces of the puzzle together on a given day, I feel like I can beat anybody. If I don’t have that self-belief and confidence in myself, I wouldn’t be here definitely sitting here and talking to you guys or competing.

“I still have the drive and, of course, I understand that, you know, Sinner and Alcaraz are playing on a different level right now from everybody else. That’s a fact, but that doesn’t mean that nobody else has a chance. So I like my chances always, in any tournament, particularly here.”

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