Andy Roddick asks an important Novak Djokovic question for 2026

Andy Roddick thinks the most important question Novak Djokovic will have to answer in 2026 will be whether his body is strong enough to handle the demands of playing best-of-five sets over two weeks at a Grand Slam.

The 38-year-old has been very consistent in Grand Slam matches for the most part this year, reaching the semi-finals in all four Majors.

In Australia, Djokovic managed to overcome Carlos Alcaraz’s challenge but suffered a hamstring injury and retired in the semi-final against Alexander Zverev. In the next three Grand Slams, the former world number 1 was defeated twice by Jannik Sinner and once by Alcaraz. The Serbian has not won a single set in his last three Slam defeats.

After being dismissed by Alcaraz in the US Open semi-finals, Djokovic admitted it was becoming more difficult for him to keep up physically with the Spaniard and Sinner in best-of-five-set matches. However, he confirmed in the same press that he would be back in 2026 with the same goal.

Roddick’s question to Djokovic

When it comes to Djokovic’s Grand Slam chances in 2026, Roddick suggests everything starts and ends with the 38-year-old’s body, as he needs to stay healthy to have a legitimate shot at winning seven matches in the best-of-five format.

“The question is… And he questioned it after the US Open. I don’t know if he can train like he used to. I guess you can’t train that psychotically, and I mean that in a good way, at 38 years old,” Roddick said on his podcast.

“And if you can’t do that, can you make sure your body can hold up over the course of two weeks in a major, above a best-of-five? The answer this year was no. He admits that.

“It was like, I don’t know if my body can do it, and if I get to the semifinals, am I going to beat these guys if my body is damaged by the time I get there? That’s the whole point for this conversation.”

Djokovic will turn 39 during the French Open next year.