Former ATP Pro Sees Novak Djokovic Likely to Win His 25th Grand Slam Rather Than Alexander Zverev Winning His First

Novak Djokovic will hope to win his 25th Grand Slam title next year despite Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner's dominance on tour.

Former ATP Pro Sees Novak Djokovic Likely to Win His 25th Grand Slam Rather Than Alexander Zverev Winning His First

Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev (via X/The Tennis Letter)

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Novak Djokovic had a great season in 2025 despite not winning a Grand Slam once again. Although the World No.4 has struggled in the shadows of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz since last year, former ATP player Sergiy Stakhovsky believes the 38-year-old is more likely to win another Grand Slam than Alexander Zverev.

Zverev has long been seen as the next player to win a Grand Slam, having failed to do so on several occasions in his career. He has been one of the best players of his generation, who has struggled to reach the expectations set before them on tour. In January, he reached his third Grand Slam final at the Australian Open, but lost to Sinner in straight sets.

He has often been characterized as one player who lacks the drive to win Grand Slams. His fellow compatriot Boris Becker has been his biggest critic, often slamming him for his naivety each time he’s faced with a huge task on the court or meeting a top player in the critical stages of a tournament.

Meanwhile, Djokovic is completely different from Zverev, as he has won 24 Grand Slams in his career and is just one title away from becoming the player with the most major titles in tennis in the Open Era. But he has failed to reach the goal since winning his last Slam at the 2023 US Open in New York.

For the past two years, he has struggled to compete with Sinner and Alcaraz in Grand Slam tournaments. During an interview with BTU, Stakhovsky analyzed that Djokovic is closer to winning his 25th Grand Slam than Zverev is likely to win his maiden major title on tour:

Novak (Djokovic) has every chance to win another Grand Slam. I would even say he has more chances than Zverev. This year, he reached four semi-finals. I think he can win anywhere. His excellent statistics in Australia give him plenty of reasons to think about how he will approach that tournament and what will happen next. Does the longevity of other players motivate him? I think it’s a unique story.

Djokovic reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open in January, but was forced to retire from his match against Zverev due to an injury. At the Roland Garros and Wimbledon Championships, he fell to Sinner in straight sets, while Alcaraz defeated him in the last four of the US Open, despite his excellent form in New York.

Sergiy Stakhovsky analyzed Novak Djokovic’s style of play on the court

One major thing that has stood out for Novak Djokovic over the years is his resilience on the court. The Serbian legend has on several occasions found himself down a set in a match, but will pick up the pieces from there and fight his way back to win the tie. His motivation to win more titles on the court despite his age has been impressive.

Novak Djokovic (2)
Novak Djokovic (Image via X/Danny)

However, that has yet to help him win his 25th Grand Slam. During the aforementioned interview, Sergiy Stakhovsky analyzed Djokovic’s style of play on the court. He added that he will need to adapt to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s dominance on tour:

Djokovic has always played defensively. In his mind, he thinks: ‘I won’t make a mistake, maybe two unforced errors per match. If you hit 40 winners, go ahead. But if you hit 40 winners and 48 errors, I will win this match.’ However, a new generation has emerged, different from the one he was used to. We see that he has found his motivation for a year or two, that he adapts to the new players.

Sinner and Alcaraz are the only two players who can beat Djokovic on the court. The rest of the players in the ATP have struggled to bring down the legend. However, Djokovic must beat Sinner or Alcaraz in major tournaments if he has to win any next year, as they are both the most consistent players on the circuit.

Also Read: Jannik Sinner’s Opponent Makes Honest Confession About Not Knowing ‘What to Do’ While Facing Him: “He Has No Weakness”