Patrick Mouratoglou argues that Novak Djokovic is “Not Motivated Enough” to Win His 25th Grand Slam

Novak Djokovic reached the final of the 2026 Australian Open, losing the title to Carlos Alcaraz.

Patrick Mouratoglou argues that Novak Djokovic is “Not Motivated Enough” to Win His 25th Grand Slam

Novak Djokovic, Patrick Mouratoglou (Image via X/AllAboutHQ, Swiss Tennis)

In Short
  • Patrick Mouratoglou claims Novak Djokovic lacks motivation to win his 25th Grand Slam title.
  • Djokovic reached the Australian Open final but lost to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets.
  • Mouratoglou argues Djokovic's mental toughness remains unmatched in tennis history.

Patrick Mouratoglou has made a controversial claim, saying the only obstacle keeping Novak Djokovic from winning his 25th Grand Slam title is a lack of motivation. The legendary coach has made some ridiculous claims recently about Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner being better than the Big 3.

Djokovic came close to claiming his 25th Grand Slam at the Australian Open. He reached the final of the tournament for the first time since 2023, defeating Sinner in the semi-finals in five sets after over four hours. The 38-year-old faced Alcaraz for the championship and won the opening set with ease.

But Alcaraz regrouped in the second set to win the match in four sets at the Rod Laver Arena. Though Djokovic lost the Australian Open title, he was hailed for his courageous aggression throughout the tournament, particularly in his win over Sinner in the quarterfinals. It was his first Grand Slam final since the 2024 Wimbledon Championship.

Last year, he struggled against Alcaraz and Sinner, who dominated the men’s circuit. He reached the semi-finals of all four Grand Slams, losing twice to Sinner and once to Alcaraz at the US Open in New York. However, the former World No. 1 is currently No. 3 in the ATP rankings and the oldest player in the top 5.

In a video shared on Instagram, Mouratoglou argued that the only obstacle hindering Djokovic from winning his 25th Grand Slam is his motivation. The former Naomi Osaka coach explained that Djokovic didn’t have enough motivation to beat Alcaraz at the Australian Open final, as he did at the Paris Olympics final:

The only obstacle that prevents Novak from winning Grand Slams is his motivation. I don’t think he’s motivated enough for the 25th, otherwise I think he would have done it. He was crazy motivated for the Olympic Games, he made the gold medal, and he beat Alcaraz in the final. Every time he went to a Grand Slam, he was ready to win. Now he’s not, so he doesn’t expect to go all the way. Why? Not the age, not the level of tennis. Because he’s fit.

Mouratoglou has been recently criticized for saying Alcaraz and Sinner are better than the Big 3 (Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal). He had earlier gone into a debate with former ATP player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga about whether the current level of tennis was better than what the likes of Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal were at the peak of their rivalry.

Patrick Mouratoglou says Novak Djokovic is the strongest mentally in the sport

Novak Djokovic was recently spotted in Italy, where he’s enjoying the ongoing Winter Olympics. The 24-time Grand Slam champion looks to be having a break from the court after a strenuous Australian Open campaign, where he lost the title to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets in the final at the Rod Laver Arena.

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic (via Australian Open)

However, several players have dubbed Djokovic the greatest player of all time. But some still argue that he has to win a 25th Grand Slam tournament finally end the debate. Patrick Mouratoglou revealed in the aforementioned video that Djokovic has the strongest mental toughness in the history of the sport:

Novak is the strongest mentally in the history of the sport. If he wants something, even if the level is here (high) and he is here (low), he’s gonna match it. He’s gonna find a way. He is going to take the most important points of the match, then he’s going to win.

Djokovic is expected to be on tour for the Qatar Open in Doha. The 38-year-old played in the tournament last year and lost in the second round to Matteo Berrettini. Djokovic will hope to get past that stage this year and perhaps win the title, even though the likes of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will compete.

Also Read: Joao Fonseca Reflects on His Ambitions Ahead of Argentina Open Title Defense: “My Dream is Be No.1 and Win Grand Slams”