“I don’t enjoy the two-week Masters events anymore, my focus is on the Slams”: Novak Djokovic scathing of '12 Grand Slams' a year schedule

Novak Djokovic heads into the 2025 US Open with his priorities clearly set, making it clear that the Grand Slam stage remains the center of his focus.

Speaking at his pre-tournament press conference in New York, the 24-time major champion admitted the extended Masters tournaments no longer suit him and revealed how family life increasingly guides his scheduling choices.

“I don’t enjoy the two-week Masters events anymore,” Djokovic said. “It’s just way too long for me. My focus is mostly on the Slams, and I’ve said that before. I’d like to play more of the other tournaments, but we have, informally or unofficially, 12 Grand Slams a year. A Slam is two weeks, and the other Masters events are almost two weeks as well. So I’m not prioritising a heavy schedule anymore like I used to. I’m not chasing rankings, points, defending, all of that. I just don’t think about it anymore.”

Djokovic, who hasn’t played since Wimbledon, explained that at this point in his career, quality outweighs quantity. “For me, it’s really about where I find motivation and joy, where I’ll be inspired to play the best tennis, and where I care to be,” he said. “Slams are obviously the four main tournaments where I always feel the most motivation. Other than that, I don’t actually have any schedule. I just go with the moment, how I want to balance things out with other priorities in life—family being, of course, the main one.

“Speaking of which, I might miss my daughter’s birthday. It’s September 2nd, so if I’m doing well, I’ll still be here. But those are the types of things I really don’t want to be missing anymore. It’s important for me to be there, to show up for the people who have been showing up for me all these years.”

Djokovic also addressed the ongoing debate around the lengthened Masters 1000 events, siding with fellow players who feel the tournaments have become too drawn out.

“I don’t see how that’s going to happen, to be honest,” he said when asked if there was a chance of reverting the tournaments back to one-week formats. “The contracts are quite solid—30-year contracts, as I understand. Unless all the Masters events come together and the ATP board supports the idea of going back, which I really doubt.

“I’ve noticed a lot of top players have opposed the new two-week Masters events. I support the players, but at the end of the day, when players needed to be active—during negotiations and decision-making—they weren’t participating enough.

“That’s the ongoing issue. Players, especially top players, express their feelings, but when it’s time to put in the energy for meetings and conversations, it doesn’t happen. I know it’s difficult—I’ve been there many times—but it’s necessary. Because then you’re not only doing something for yourself, but for future generations. That’s how you make the right moves and contribute. I just doubt anything will change in the foreseeable future with contracts that are solid and bring a lot of revenue to the tournaments.”

The Serb was also asked about the growing rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, which has taken center stage in men’s tennis.

“Their rivalry is amazing,” Djokovic said. “What they’ve done in the last two years is remarkable. Particularly this year, the finals they’ve played against each other—Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and a few others—are amazing for our sport. On the global sports stage, these are the kinds of encounters people get excited about. Whether it’s tennis, boxing, Formula 1, or golf—people love rivalries. And theirs is without a doubt the best one we have at the moment. It looks like it will stay that way for some time.

“Of course, there are other young players who will challenge them. Hopefully somebody else can get into the mix. Rune was there but has been up and down. Fonseca too—there are players who can take that ‘joker’ spot, the third spot. I empathize with that third guy, because I was in those shoes with Federer and Nadal. So I’d like to see a third guy come in. But overall, watching these two play at such a high level is amazing.”

With his limited schedule, Djokovic confirmed he has not played a match since Wimbledon but stressed that training and time with family have been his focus.

“Obviously, I haven’t had any matches since Wimbledon, so ‘cold’ is the right term in a sense,” he admitted. “But I’ve put in a lot of training the last three, four weeks. I decided not to play because I wanted to spend more time with my family.

“To be honest, I think I’ve earned the right and have the luxury of picking and choosing where I want to play. But now it’s really about balance. For me, it’s about being motivated, inspired, and making sure I’m also there for my family.”

Earlier in the press conference, Djokovic weighed in on the US Open’s increase in prize money, welcoming the move but insisting there is more progress needed. “Look, it’s a step in the right direction. Obviously, it’s always nice and positive to see Grand Slams willing to improve the prize money overall for players,” he said.

“Whether it’s the ideal situation, I don’t think so. There’s still a lot more room for improvement. And just for the record, I’m not talking about myself, because in the past when I talked about this topic, people said, ‘Well, look at him, he wants more money for himself.’ It’s not about that. I’m talking overall, because not many tennis players can make a living from this sport globally. And that’s not discussed enough.

“So, it’s a step in the right direction. I welcome it. But it’s important to understand we live in a very commercial world. Sports and entertainment are big business. Grand Slams are doing very well. The US Open increased prize money, others are too. But they also have bigger revenue than in previous years. Then there’s inflation, which is another factor. Overall, it’s a positive step.”

Before shifting to tennis, Djokovic reflected on a unique experience earlier in the week—throwing the ceremonial first pitch at a New York Yankees game against the Boston Red Sox.

“It was a great experience. I want to thank the Yankees organization for making it possible,” Djokovic said. “It was my first baseball experience overall, first time visiting any baseball game. It was a packed house, almost 50,000 people. Obviously a big rivalry—probably the biggest rivalry you have in baseball with the Red Sox and Yankees. I got the privilege to access the locker room and meet Aaron Judge and the guys. I’m so impressed with Aaron, particularly his size. I mean, he’s humongous—really incredible. He was very nice.

“I gave him a signed racket, and he gave me a bat. I was warming up with one of the guys for the pitch on level ground, but once I got up there it was elevated, like a little hill. I didn’t throw that accurately, but it wasn’t as embarrassing as some of the other ones I’ve seen in the past.

“It was fun. I was treated very nicely and I was honored to be there. And to be honest, I became a fan. I didn’t really follow baseball much, didn’t know what to think of it. But since yesterday, I’ve really become a fan. Everyone was giving me details and insights about the game, and once you understand it and follow it, you get immersed in it. I really liked the experience. I didn’t stay all the way through until the end, but I watched more than half the game and really enjoyed myself.”