Novak Djokovic — Is this the beginning of the end?

Death, taxes, and Novak Djokovic winning a Grand Slam have more or less been inevitable in the past decade. The Serb is undoubtedly the one of the greatest tennis players of all time, having won an incredible 24 Grand Slams—boasting ten Australian Open, three French Open, seven Wimbledon, and four US Open titles.

His ATP tournament records are even more staggering, currently standing at 40 ATP 1000 Masters and seven ATP Finals wins. Add to that being World No.1 for a record total of 428 weeks, and we have at our hands some mind-boggling stats. What makes them even more special is that Djokovic has managed most of them while playing alongside fellow tennis legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

So the expectation levels are always high from the 37-year-old legend. However, even though he completed a career Golden Slam this year by winning Gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, his performances haven’t been up to his usual best at this year’s Grand Slams, all of which he has failed to win. The Australian Open has been his favourite Grand Slam, yet this year he lost in the semis to Jannik Sinner. He lost his World No.1 ranking to Sinner as well. Having played only a handful of tournaments due to fitness issues, Djokovic has dropped down the pecking order and is currently fifth in the ATP rankings.

Djokovic had to retire from the French Open due to a knee meniscus injury, for which he also had to get operated. Nobody expected him to return for the grass court season, but he made a miraculous recovery and returned to Wimbledon in his quest for an eighth title. He even made it to the finals, but post-injury stress proved too much and he was thrashed by Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets. His only consolation came at the Paris Olympics in the form of an Olympic Gold, which had been missing from his glittering collection, though his poor run continued in the US Open as he was outplayed by Alexei Popyrin in the third round.

Djokovic has been renowned the world over for his mental fortitude and has made unforgettable comebacks from losing positions many times, but this season he has been struggling not just physically but mentally as well. He has looked shockingly clueless, especially in games against top-ranked players like Sinner and Alcaraz. 

Age is also playing its part. The 37-year-old is competing against much younger, faster, and more athletic players. The usual air of confidence around him has been missing, which has consequently resulted in a declining air of invincibility, and that has given other players more confidence to beat him. Djokovic is more injury-prone now as well and featuring in fewer tournaments, which is further worsening his preparation against top-ranked players.

Even though this is his first poor season in a long time, there are whispers going around the tennis circles wondering whether the Djokovic era is drawing to a close. His recent withdrawal from the Nitto ATP Finals has only added fuel to this particular fire. His inability to win any big tournament this season is pointing ominously towards a player in steep decline.

However, if we look at his performances a bit more closely, except for the shock third-round exit in the US Open Djokovic has performed reasonably well in other Grand Slams. Winning the much-vaunted Olympic Gold in this phase is further testament to his mental strength, willpower, and resilience. If he can manage his fitness and select his tournaments smartly, I believe Djokovic may yet have some memorable performances left in him. He is still in the top five of the ATP rankings. 

There are positive signs to hold on to for “Djoker” fans, who want to see their legend continue to play and win at least one more Grand Slam to reach the biggest milestone of all—a record 25 Grand Slam titles, which no one has achieved.

Next season will be a proper litmus test for Djokovic. If he fails to perform for another year, then there could be serious talk about the end.

Also read: Novak Djokovic’s brand endorsements, investments, and charity work