Djokovic Downplays Pressure of 25th Grand Slam Bid Amid Rising stars
The pursuit of a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title won’t weigh on Novak Djokovic as he begins his campaign at the Australian Open, despite a recent dominance of the men’s tennis landscape by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. djokovic, 38, aims to reclaim his position at the pinnacle of the sport.
Djokovic, 38, acknowledged the external focus on the milestone but emphasized his commitment to appreciating past achievements. “There has been a lot of talk about the 25th, but I try to focus myself on what I have achieved, not what I’m possibly achieving,” he stated. “I mean, I hope it comes to that, but 24 is also not a bad number. I have to appreciate that and remind myself of the amazing career I have had and also release some of that needless pressure.”
The Serbian star hasn’t secured a Grand Slam victory since his triumph at the 2023 US Open. He believes dwelling on the “make-it-or-break-it” scenario would be counterproductive. “Obviously there is always pressure and expectations, but I don’t think it’s needed for me to really go far in terms of make-it-or-break-it type of thing [or] it’s now-or-never type of mentality. Neither does that allow me to excel and perform my best.”
Djokovic expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete again,notably in Melbourne,where he has consistently found success. He highlighted his strong record at the tournament, reaching the final stages in recent years, including semi-final appearances in 2024 and 2025, and a quarter-final win against Alcaraz last year.
Ahead of his opening match against Spain’s Pedro Martinez,the world No. 4 conveyed a sense of confidence. “Look, I know that when I’m healthy, when I’m able to put all the pieces of the puzzle together on a given day, I feel like I can beat anybody,” Djokovic affirmed. “If I don’t have that self-belief and confidence in myself, I wouldn’t be here definitely sitting here and talking to you guys or competing.”
However,Djokovic conceded that Sinner and Alcaraz are currently operating at a higher level than the rest of the tour. The pair have collectively won the last eight Grand Slam tournaments. “I still have the drive, and of course I understand that Sinner and Alcaraz are playing on a different level right now from everybody else.That’s a fact,but that doesn’t mean that nobody else has a chance.”
Acknowledging a slight physical deficit, Djokovic admitted, “I’m missing a little bit of juice in my legs, to be honest, to be able to compete with these guys at the later stages of a grand slam.” Despite this, he remains optimistic about his ability to challenge the young stars, having lost three of his last four Grand Slam matches against either Sinner or Alcaraz.
Displaying his characteristic wit, Djokovic playfully suggested that Alcaraz and Sinner have already received ample praise. “We don’t need to praise them too much. They have been praised enough,” he quipped. “We know how good they are, and they absolutely deserve to be where they are. They are the dominant forces of men’s tennis at the moment. I’m still trying to be in the mix.”
Djokovic’s immediate focus is on building momentum and preparing for potential encounters with Sinner in the semi-finals and Alcaraz in the final. “I would love to have a chance to fight with one of those or maybe both of these guys here,” he said.
When questioned about his potential retirement, Djokovic dismissed the notion, stating he would address the topic when the time felt right. “When that arrives and kind of becomes ripe in my head, I’ll share it with you, and then we can all discuss on the farewell tour,” he explained. “But right now I’m still No. 4 in the world, still competing at the highest level, and I feel like there is no need to draw the attention to that discussion.”
