"I'm playing myself from 10 years ago and 15 years ago and it kind of hurts" - Novak Djokovic draws up daunting perspective when competing against Alcaraz and Sinner

Novak Djokovic has marvelled tennis fans around the world over almost two decades now. Still playing at the top of his game despite being 39-years-old, he is no longer the man to beat with him now being forced to play second fiddle to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. He admitted the duo reminded him of himself in his pomp as he tries and finds a way of getting past them.

As the years go on, the Djokovic level is still very high. Touted as one of the only players to compete on a regular basis with the top two, even the Serbian has struggled to keep up. He is not competing on the ATP Tour as much as he would like due to his age and the risk of injuries, preserving his body for the Grand Slam tournaments.

The US Open is next, a tournament that he has won four times following 10 final appearances. He makes it a fifth, and he strides into a league of his own. Currently tied level with Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam titles, he is desperate to make it an unprecedented 25 and cement his name in tennis history even more than he already has done in this glittering career which has unfolded.

Time is running out, and he will be hoping that Flushing Meadows is the place where he can secure more glory. The event will take place from August 31-September 13 with this the final major tournament of 2026.

If Djokovic is going to win the title, he will most likely have to find a way past at least one of, if not both, Sinner and Alcaraz. There is a world where he needs to beat both of them just to reach the final thanks to him being seventh in the world with rankings possibly having a huge effect on this tournament.

Speaking on the show 'The Shop' at Fanatics Fest in New York, Djokovic was pitched alongside another sporting legend going by LeBron James. Both have played through numerous generations and eras in their respected sports, still on top in both of them.

Djokovic began by battling out with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, barging his way into the rivalry as he made it the 'Big Three' which saw the trio dominate tennis for well over a decade. He said that each player had their contrasting style on court which aided their rise through the ranks.

"I want to kick their a** every day of the week," Djokovic said. "But to be honest, when I see them play, there's contrasting styles with Federer and Nadal, really contrasting styles. I showed up as well, different. Three of us, we were all different."

He sees numerous similarities with the pair who he is determined and motivated to get the better of despite his recent struggles. "And now with Alcaraz and Sinner being the dominant force in tennis, these two guys remind me of myself so much. I'm like: 'I'm playing myself from 10 years ago and 15 years ago' and it kind of hurts me to feel that on the court. I mean, I know how to crack the code, but can I?"

This will not stop him. A true competitor, Djokovic will not give up without a fight. "So, it's always finding new ways to motivate yourself, to inspire yourself to be better and the rivalries are good," he commented. "They're important. So you got to always find someone in the crowd or someone on the court that is going to push you to be better."

Djokovic will plough on, but if he is going to win the big titles on the ATP Tour then Sinner and Alcaraz will need to be tamed.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion had the measure of Sinner in their opening five contests, winning four of them. However, since then the current World No.1 has gone to an insane level on court, something that even the great Djokovic cannot keep up with. Just one win from their prior seven matches, six of them coming from 2024 onwards as he trails 7-5. One of which was only a couple of weeks ago in the semi-final of Wimbledon.

His record against Alcaraz is even at 5-5, but there are some notable defeats. They have played three Grand Slam finals against each other, all of them won by the Spaniard. He has also come out on top in their prior two matches, most recently the final of the Australian Open at the start of the year.

The US Open is his next chance to get the better of them. Beforehand, he will turn his attention towards the brace of Masters 1000 tournaments coming before the US Open. They are the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open, both skipped by Djokovic last year. With Sinner coming off his fifth Grand Slam title and Alcaraz closing in on a return to the court, it is set to be a highly anticipated North American hardcourt swing.