Novak Djokovic’s window to achieve a 25th major title is getting smaller with every passing major tournament.
The 2025 US Open will mark two years since Djokovic’s last Grand Slam title, when he defeated Daniil Medvedev in the final to claim his 24th major. The Serbian player is attempting to claim a 25th major, which would put him one clear of Margaret Court’s total.
Djokovic has struggled to usurp the new kids on the block in recent times, losing to Jannik Sinner in both the French Open and Wimbledon semi-finals.
However, Djokovic did beat Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open in 2025, and at the 2024 Olympic Games to claim an elusive gold medal.
Despite these successes, one journalist has made a dour prediction about the Serbian star’s future at Grand Slam tournaments.
Matt Roberts says Novak Djokovic can no longer beat both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at a Grand Slam
Tennis journalist Matt Roberts was speaking with David Law and Catherine Whitaker during their overview of this year’s Wimbledon, when the topic of Djokovic’s US Open chances arose.
Roberts, who was speaking on The Tennis Podcast, acknowledged that you can never write off a player like Djokovic. However, he believes Djokovic’s chances of beating both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at a Grand Slam are ‘gone.’
Roberts said: “I think you can’t write him off completely because, I agree with you David [Law], if something happens and Sinner loses early or Alcaraz loses early, I still think Djokovic is the most likely to pick up the pieces because, yes, he’s struggling in these latter stages but I think he’s really struggling because he’s having to face a Sinner or an Alcaraz, and that’s taking so much out of him.
“I think, [during] the latter stages of a slam, if his route to the title suddenly looked like Fritz to play Zverev – I think if he’s not had to face Sinner, if he’s not had to face Alcaraz, yes he’s feeling it a bit, but I’m probably still backing him because of his experience and his talent and what he can still do, what he would have in the tank.
“So you can’t write him off completely but in the slams that we’ve seen recently where the fields are holding up and Sinner and/or Alcaraz are getting there at the end, I think it’s gone.
“I think that has gone for Novak Djokovic in terms of being able to beat both of them in the latter and that now is what it feels like he has to do and that to me is where the shift has been and that’s to me what he was saying in that press conference.
“I think he still thinks if Dimitrov takes out Sinner, suddenly it’s all looking a little bit different and he’s maybe hanging on that and he can maybe hope that one of those happens in the next year or so, which is possible, but at this stage feels quite unlikely.”
Novak Djokovic’s last Grand Slam victory
The last time Djokovic won the US Open, the tennis landscape was very different. Carlos Alcaraz was number one in the world and Daniil Medvedev was the defending champion.
Jannik Sinner had also yet to realise his potential. He was the number six seed at the tournament.
| US Open 2023 Round | Novak Djokovic’s Opponent |
| 128 | beat Alexandre Muller 6-0 6-2 6-3 |
| 64 | beat Bernabé Zapata Miralles 6-4 6-1 6-1 |
| 32 | beat Laslo Djere 4-6 4-6 6-1 6-1 6-3 |
| 16 | beat Borna Gojo 6-2 7-5 6-4 |
| Quarter-Final | beat Taylor Fritz 6-1 6-1 6-4 |
| Semi-Final | beat Ben Shelton 6-1 6-1 6-4 |
| Final | beat Daniil Medvedev 6-3 7-6 6-3 |
The Serbian star was imperious at the tournament. Despite struggling through a five-setter against Laslo Djere, Djokovic did not drop another set in any other match.
Djokovic will be hoping to produce the same form at this year’s US Open, which will run from August 24 to September 7.
