Chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title at the US Open, Novak Djokovic continues to look strong. The Serbian great opened with a straight-sets win over American Learner Tien, then followed it up with a second-round victory over Zachary Svajda.
Next, the No. 7 seed faces Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the third round—a player he already defeated in the fourth round of Roland Garros. So far in 2025, Djokovic’s only title has come at the ATP 250 in Geneva, where he captured his 100th career trophy by knocking out Norrie in the semifinals.
At 38, thoughts about retirement and what comes next are inevitable. Following his first-round win over Tien, Djokovic hinted he could transition into coaching young talent and revealed the player he’d most like to work with in the future.
That player is Joao Fonseca, the 19-year-old Brazilian who has already climbed to No. 45 in the ATP Rankings. Fonseca, who made his tour debut in 2023, captured his first ATP title earlier this year in Buenos Aires.
Joao Fonseca reacts against Tomas Machac during US Open. (Elsa/Getty Images)
“My plans after I retire from tennis is to coach (Joao) Fonseca,” Djokovic said with a smile as he once again praised the teenager’s potential. He then joked about the price tag of his mentorship: “I’m going to be very expensive for him, so he’d better get ready”.
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The 24-time Grand Slam winner also shed light on why he skipped the Masters 1000 events in Canada and Cincinnati, opting instead to arrive at the US Open with less match play.
“I decided not to play because I wanted to spend more time with my family. To be honest, I think I’ve earned the right and have the luxury to choose where I want to go and what I want to play. Honestly, I don’t enjoy two-week Masters tournaments anymore. They’re too long for me. I focus mainly on the Grand Slams,” Djokovic explained.
“I have my priorities in life clear, and family comes first. I like to be with them for important dates. If I go far here, I’ll miss my daughter’s birthday. I don’t want to miss those things,” he added.
