New Delhi: When Novak Djokovic broke through in the late 2000s, tennis was already basking in the brilliance of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The Serb emerged as the disruptor, entered as an outsider, making his way into the conversation, and eventually shattered the duopoly of the two. Not only did he catch the two men who once seemed untouchable, but he also left them behind in the race for Grand Slam glory.
Now, almost two decades later, Djokovic finds himself back in familiar territory as he is the odd man out in the Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz duopoly. The two young champions have split the last seven majors between them and look set to shape the future of men’s tennis. But the 24-time Grand Slam champion, with relentless competitive fire at the age of 38, wants to prove there is still space for him in that story.
Can Djokovic spoil the script in his quest for 25th Major?
While the tournament was about to begin, most assumed that once again the tournament would end with either Sinner or Alcaraz lifting the trophy. They are younger, faster, and have already shown the consistency that eluded a generation of Djokovic’s other challengers, but the Serbian has never cared much for scripts written by others.
Djoko, after beating Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinal, admitted, “Everyone is expecting the final between the two of them. I’m going to try to mess up the plans of most people.”
But to achieve what many believe is next to impossible, he will need to beat Alcaraz in the semi-finals and possibly defending champion Sinner in the championship match. On paper, it looks like a mountain to climb, but on the court, Djokovic has a way of turning the impossible into routine.
The four-time US Open champion’s biggest obstacle these days isn’t talent or belief rather it’s time. He is trying to defy age as his body doesn’t recover as easily as it once did, and injuries have also slowed him down in the past two years. He has made it to the semifinals of all four majors this season but hasn’t reached a final since the 2023 US Open, which remains the last of the 24 Slams in his glittering trophy cabinet.
At the Australian Open this year, he retired against Alexander Zverev, while at Wimbledon, he wasn’t fully fit to challenge Sinner, losing in the semifinals. Even at the French Open, he couldn’t take a set from Alcaraz, failing to achieve the feat. But the fact that he continues to reach the last four speaks volumes about his endurance and hunger.
In the ongoing US Open, there have been signs of fatigue, particularly in his four-set win over Taylor Fritz, but he has also benefited from two rest days before his blockbuster semifinal against Alcaraz. Djokovic had insisted that the two days that followed his quarterfinal win were “key” to getting his body ready for a five-set battle. For someone who has built his career on resilience, betting against his recovery would be unwise.
What separates Sinner and Alcaraz from players like Zverev, Tsitsipas, or Medvedev is the absence of fear when playing Djokovic. The sandwich generation often wilted under the weight of his aura. On the contrary, the new guns relish the fight, which explains why Djokovic hasn’t been able to collect majors the last two years. Sinner and Alcaraz don’t just believe that they can beat him; in fact, they have proved it on the biggest stages, keeping him shy of his 25th major. If Djokovic is to add a 25th Slam, he must outthink them as much as outplay them.
A chance to rewrite the ending
Djokovic insists he is not waving a white flag, and why would he? Even if the legs don’t always move, likely they used to; Djokovic still has fire in his belly. He has already outlasted Federer and Nadal. One more logic-defying win, one more moment of defiance could extend his glorious legacy in Sinner and Alcaraz’s new era of Grand Slam supremacy.
For Djokovic, third-wheeling isn’t new, as his legacy is built on that. The only question is whether he has one last spark left in the tank to ignite a successful conclusion to his storied career.
Well, time will answer that, but one thing is certain that Djokovic will give it all in what could be his last dance.