“If he continues, it is because he believes he can always evolve further" - 'Novak is back' according to former coach who warns Alcaraz and Sinner of looming threat

Novak Djokovic turned a lot of heads when making an 11th final at the Australian Open, putting in a super-human performance to fend off the two-time champion Jannik Sinner before succumbing to a painful final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz. Despite being 38 years old, his former coach Riccardo Piatti states that he can still achieve much more in the sport.

He went into the first Grand Slam of 2026 with not a lot of tennis under his belt after an end to the prior season which was overshone by injury, seeing him miss the ATP Finals. He was back fit and fresh for Melbourne, overriding some luck as he made it through to the semi-final stage.

The Serbian had not defeated Sinner since 2023 and not got a set off him in their previous four ATP matches, going back to this stage of the 2024 Australian Open. He was up to the challenge, rolling back the years with some pinpoint aggressive tennis which saw him managing to dethrone an inform Sinner to set up the chance for more major glory.

It was his first major final since the 2023 US Open, and unfortunately for him it would end in defeat. After taking the first set, Alcaraz upped the level and was able to fend off his rival for a seventh Grand Slam title, a first Down Under, and to become the youngest player to complete the career Grand Slam.

The Spaniard obviously took all the headlines, but there were still praises ringing around Djokovic's head. While he did lose a first final in the event, it proves that he still has what it takes to defeat the big two of this current era and that he can put himself here or there about in these big tournaments, finally getting over his major semi-final duct.

A large part of this is his remarkable commitment to fitness, keeping him in pristine condition despite on the verge of being 40. He can still compete at the highest level while over a long period of time. Piatti, his coach from 2005-2006, highlighted this with a new member in his ranks.

“He hired my friend Dalibor Sirola, a fitness coach, and started preparing for this Australian Open on December 1 of last year," he commented in an interview with L’Equipe. "He knows that at his age, he needs even more preparation simply because he is older. In fact, players of different ages have less time than him because they do not have the same schedule."

While in the climax of the event fitness was not an issue, the Italian leaned towards his age as the reason why he could not lift major title number 25. “In the final, we saw again that Novak’s only issue was his age and, therefore, his physical condition. I respect his efforts to prepare again for these major events, and I respect him even more after this tournament. He loves this sport and wants to be very competitive. I am surprised he lost, but it is simply because Alcaraz was the better player.”

However, major glory may still be in reach of Djokovic. “If he continues, it is because he believes he can always evolve further," Piatti said. "Roland Garros will necessarily be more challenging for him, but we should not forget about Wimbledon if an opportunity arises."

Djokovic is returning to his best form, and Piatti believes that Alcaraz and Sinner need to look over their shoulders. “What I know is that at the end of this Australian Open, Novak is back, he is the most obsessed with his tennis. I just hope he stays healthy and can prepare as best as possible. Then he could have another chance. Jannik and Carlos would do well to be cautious.”