MELBOURNE, Australia – The list of those who wrote Novak Djokovic’s sporting obituary is almost as long as the tennis legend’s extensive list of honors. But time and time again, Djokovic has challenged the narrative as he built what is now undoubtedly the greatest legacy in tennis history with 24 major titles.
There’s no denying that he wants to further rewrite the record books – even at the age of 38, now that time is no longer on his side.
And he barely fades into irrelevance. Despite being the second-oldest man in the sport and the oldest currently ranked in the ATP’s top 60, Djokovic ranked in the top 7 last season, was one of only two men to reach the semifinals of all four majors and became the third man in history to reach 100 career tournament victories. He still has all the tools, knowledge, firepower and – perhaps most crucially – the hunger to mix it up with everyone else in the sport. This includes Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the destructive duo who have seemingly defeated the entire competition over the past 24 months, and the two who will almost certainly stand in the way of another crown in Australia.
Since Djokovic triumphed at the 2023 US Open, his last major title, Sinner and Alcaraz have teamed up to win the next eight Slams and establish a new era of dominance in tennis. World No. 2 Sinner has defeated Djokovic in each of the past five matches, including in the semi-finals of the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon. Djokovic has fared better against No. 1 seed Alcaraz: the pair share a 2-2 head-to-head record since early 2024.
“I understand that Sinner and Alcaraz are currently playing at a different level than everyone else. That is a fact. But that does not mean that no one else has a chance,” a confident Djokovic explained on the eve of the Australian Open. “I like my chances in every tournament, especially here. I know that if I’m healthy and if I can put all the pieces of the puzzle together on any given day, I feel like I can beat anyone.
“If I don’t have that confidence and trust in myself, I wouldn’t be here. Right now I’m still number four in the world and I’m still playing at the highest level. I’m just grateful to have another chance, especially here. I always enjoy playing in Australia.”
If Djokovic is to achieve the outright record of 25 major singles titles, it would be both fitting and likely if it were achieved this fortnight at the Australian Open, the Grand Slam he has owned all his tennis life. Djokovic is a record ten-time tournament champion, has a 91% winning percentage when playing at Melbourne Park and has lost just six matches here in 19 years. The iconic blue hard court of Rod Laver Arena might as well be his second home; a stage in which he has produced some of the most breathtaking tennis and countless magical moments, none of which can be underestimated when assessing Djokovic’s title prospects in 2026.
Perhaps another advantage for Djokovic as he enters the twilight of his career is that despite all his accolades and achievements, few if any people now expect him to beat Sinner or Alcaraz in a best-of-five-set competition. Is there a risk that they underestimate him? Maybe, maybe not, but both men will spend these two weeks chasing their own piece of history, which will only place more burdens and expectations on their shoulders. Sinner is trying to join Djokovic as the only man in the Open era to win the Australian Open in three consecutive years. Meanwhile, a title at Melbourne Park this year would make Alcaraz the youngest man (22 years old) in history to complete the career Slam.
However, Djokovic is not concerned with that and only focuses on how he can spoil their respective matches.
“My priority is really taking care of my body, building momentum and not wasting unnecessary energy,” Djokovic said. “[Last year] I was missing a little bit of juice in my legs to compete with these guys in the final stages of a Grand Slam. But I’m definitely doing my best and I think I challenged them on the way to the titles. We know how good they are and they absolutely deserve to be where they are. Hopefully I can go far again and get the chance to play against them.”
Regardless of the outcome of Djokovic’s Australian Open campaign, the simple fact that he is even in fringe championship discussions at this point in his career, let alone a bona fide title contender, is mind-boggling. His longevity and excellence are unprecedented and unlikely to ever be repeated. Since turning 35 just over 3½ years ago, Djokovic has won four Grand Slam titles, reached the semi-finals at a major 11 times, lifted two ATP Finals trophies, won an Olympic gold medal and spent 59 weeks at No. 1 in the world. That alone is worth a place in the tennis Hall of Fame.
“There has been a lot of talk about the 25th, but I try to focus on what I have achieved, not on what I may achieve,” Djokovic said. “I’m the last person who should complain or regret anything. I mean, I’ve broken pretty much every record there is to break in this sport and I’m forever grateful to tennis for giving me the opportunity to travel the world and live my dream. I’m still living my dream, to be honest. I hope it comes to that.” [25]but 24 isn’t a bad number either!”
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