Goran Ivanisevic Refuses to Bet Against Novak Djokovic’s 25th Grand Slam Title
Novak Djokovic hasn't won a Grand Slam since the 2023 US Open.
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Novak Djokovic and Goran Ivanisevic (via Eurosport)
- Goran Ivanisevic believes Novak Djokovic can still compete for his 25th Grand Slam title despite recent challenges.
- Djokovic has not won a major title since the 2023 US Open, facing tough competition from Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
- By withdrawing from the Monte Carlo Masters, Djokovic is strategically focusing on faster surfaces for future tournaments.
Writing off Novak Djokovic has historically been the worst bet in sports. It’s right up there with doubting Tom Brady in the fourth quarter or leaving Michael Jordan open at the buzzer. But as viewers roll through the back half of this decade, murmurs in the tennis world are turning into full-blown conversations. Father Time is undefeated, and right now, he looks an awful lot like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Djokovic is sitting on 24 Grand Slam titles. It’s a staggering number that defies logic. Yet, the Serbian legend hasn’t hoisted a major trophy since the 2023 US Open. In the tennis universe, that kind of drought for a star like Djokovic feels like a lifetime.
But if one thinks that the story ends here, one might want to listen to someone who knows their mind better than anyone else: his former coach, Goran Ivanisevic. Ivanisevic said on SportsKlub:
If I hadn’t worked with him, I might say no. But knowing him, “I can’t” or “impossible” aren’t in his vocabulary…We have these two (Sinner and Alcaraz) who are playing a different sport, we have Alexander Zverev who’s always there, and then there’s Novak, who’s special, the best tennis player of all time, and you can never exclude him from the fight for a title.
Ivanisevic isn’t just throwing out blind optimism to protect his former pupil. He knows exactly what fuels the World No. 4. Djokovic is powered by slights, by doubts, and by the visceral thrill of proving people wrong.
Ivanisevic knows that the more the media crowns Alcaraz and Sinner as the untouchable kings of the new era, the more Djokovic is in the gym, stretching, plotting, and scheming his revenge.
The Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner problem
The viewers can’t talk about Novak Djokovic’s quest for a 25th major without addressing the two elephants in the room. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner haven’t just crashed the party; they’ve completely changed the locks on the doors. Between the two of them, they have swept the last nine majors.
The fans saw it up close at the 2026 Australian Open. Alcaraz took down Djokovic in a gritty four-set final. Novak didn’t play poorly, but the sheer physicality, the relentless baseline hammering, and the youthful bounce of Alcaraz were just a fraction too much.
When someone is hovering near the twilight of one’s career, dealing with one generational talent is a headache. Dealing with two who alternate winning every major tournament is a nightmare.
But this is where human emotion and sheer willpower come into play. Djokovic didn’t get to 24 Grand Slams by folding when the kids got too fast. He got there by out-thinking, out-working, and flat-out refusing to lose.
Skipping the dirt: A strategic masterstroke?
Recently, Novak Djokovic made headlines by withdrawing from the Monte Carlo Masters. To the untrained eye, skipping a massive tournament looks like a white flag. But to those paying attention, this is classic load management.
Why should Novak burn out his tires grinding on the red clay against guys ten years younger than him? Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are built to slide around the dirt all day.
By pulling out of Monte Carlo, Djokovic is sending a clear message: he is putting all his chips on the faster surfaces. He’s looking right past the French Open and staring dead at the pristine grass of Wimbledon and the hard courts of the US Open.
It’s a veteran move. He knows his body has a finite amount of miles left, and he’s saving the premium gas for the trips that matter most.
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