Novak Djokovic should continue playing until the Next Gen can ‘KILL him’ says Jimmy Connors

Connors believes that Djokovic should continue competing as long as he is still in contention for big titles.

Novak Djokovic should continue playing until the Next Gen can ‘KILL him’ says Jimmy Connors

Jimmy Connors and Novak Djokovic (Credits: Eurosport / Wimbledon)

In an interview on the Advantage Connors podcast, former World No. 1 Jimmy Connors shared his views on Novak Djokovic’s sustained dominance and the lack of young challengers. Connors reflected on an image he saw on Twitter which intrigued him.

“Somebody put up a picture, I saw on Twitter, Djokovic, where he was 40 or 50 years old, and he is still out there making a speech on Centre Court of Wimbledon. And I loved it. Because, what are you gonna do? Let him play until he is 50?”

Connors remarked that in spite of the surprise loss to Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon, there are very few players on tour who can pose a real challenge to Djokovic on the biggest stages. Connors believes that as long as this is the case, Djokovic should keep competing on tour and hunting for big titles. “You know, believe me, if that was me, if I was in his place right now, I’d say, play me until you kill me. Because there’s only one guy that’s doing it right now, and that’s Alcaraz,” he said.

His loss in the Wimbledon final to Alcaraz notwithstanding, Djokovic’s record at the Grand Slams has been nothing short of excellent. Only players playing at the very top of the rankings and their game can ever hope to topple him. His last loss in a Grand Slam to a player ranked outside the top 5 was back in US Open 2019 to Stan Wawrinka, which too, Djokovic forfeited after a 2-set deficit due to injury.

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It is time for the next gen to take over tennis and create their own legacy believes Jimmy Connors

Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune (Credits: Eurosport, Reuters and Tennis Majors)

While acknowledging the achievements of Djokovic, Jimmy Connors stressed the importance of the younger generation stepping up and challenging the current dominant players. He mentioned promising stars such as Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune, Jannik Sinner, and Lorenzo Musetti, who represent the future of the game. Connors encouraged these talented youngsters to strive for greatness and create their own era in tennis.

He emphasized the importance of young players looking up to their peers rather than solely idolizing Djokovic, as they need to establish themselves as the driving force behind the sport.

As Novak Djokovic continues to compete and defy expectations, the tennis world eagerly awaits the rise of the next generation and the potential passing of the torch.

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