When Novak Djokovic speaks about tennis, his words carry weight. The 24-time Grand Slam champion returned to the spotlight this week with his thoughts on Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the two brightest stars on the ATP Tour today. Not only did he compare them to Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, but he also hinted at who could form part of the sport’s next “Big Three”.
Djokovic praised the budding rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner, saying it is already shaping the current era of men’s tennis. “Their rivalry is, without a doubt, the best we have at the moment, and it looks like it’s going to stay that way for some time,” Djokovic said during his pre-tournament press conference Friday.
Still, the former World No. 1 pointed out that others may soon enter the battle. “There are other young players who will certainly challenge them, and hopefully someone can join the fight,” he added. “Holger Rune was there, he’s had ups and downs, and Joao Fonseca”.
Djokovic even drew a personal comparison to his own career alongside Federer and Nadal. “There are players who can take the Djoker’s place, the third spot. I identify with the third player, because I was in that situation with Federer and Nadal. I want to see a third player come in”.
Rafael Nadal poses for a photo with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic on Court Philippe-Chatrier. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
Djokovic heads into US Open without match practice
The Serbian has not played an official match in more than a month, last appearing in the Wimbledon semifinals where he fell 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to Sinner. Djokovic admitted he may feel a bit “cold” entering the U.S. Open but emphasized that training has been his priority.
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“[I may be] ‘cold’ in terms of the matches, official matches… but I have put in a lot of training in last three, four weeks. I decided not to play because I wanted to spend more time with my family,” he explained.
A shift in mindset
Djokovic also spoke about how his approach to tennis has evolved at this stage of his career. The once relentless competitor revealed that rankings and points no longer drive him. “I’m not chasing the ranking, not collecting points, not defending anything, etc. I just don’t think about it anymore. What’s important is where I find motivation and joy,” the former World No.1 concluded.
