Novak Djokovic will remain without a Grand Slam title in 2024. The big question is: Can the Serb still celebrate the 25th major triumph of his career? Tennis legend John McEnroe is divided.
“You never want to count him out, but right now is certainly the first time that you seriously question whether he can still win,” McEnroe said in an interview with Eurosport.
“He won three out of four Grand Slams last year and Olympic gold this year and now we’re seriously saying he’ll never be at the top again?” asked the American.
Djokovic is “getting older on the other hand,” argued the tennis icon. “At some point you notice it because you lose part of your fear factor with your opponents. Then guys who previously didn’t believe they had a chance think they can beat you and that makes it much more difficult. That’s what Djokovic is currently facing,” analyzed McEnroe.
So it will be “exciting to see if he will be able to get number 25, but I believe he will try to find that motivation again,” said the 65-year-old.
Surprising exit at the US Open
Djokovic has won 24 Grand Slam titles in his career so far – a record! The 37-year-old was recently surprisingly eliminated in the third round of the US Open in New York against Australian Alexei Popyrin (4:6, 4:6, 6:2, 4:6)At the Summer Olympics in Paris, the “Djoker” had previously won the coveted gold medal.
“In a way, we’re lucky that Djokovic is still playing so well that these young players – like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner – can still have a rivalry with him,” McEnroe said.
Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are “probably the three greatest players in history, all of whom played during this period, so it would be crazy to think they won’t leave a gap,” he added.
Source: www.sport.de
