Jim Courier believes Djokovic can compete for Grand Slams until he's 40

Although Novak Djokovic just turned 34 this past weekend, the World No.1 is still capable of dominating the sport of tennis for a long time, according to Jim Courier.

The four-time Grand Slam champion believes that Djokovic is likely to end his career atop the all-time men's Grand Slams list. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal currently share the top spot with 20 Majors each, but Courier is of the opinion that the Serbian will overtake them both in a few years, as he sits in second place with 18 titles.

“I definitely think Novak will have more bites at the apple, assuming that both Nadal and Djokovic stay healthy,” Courier said in an interview with Tennis Channel. “I think he’s a little bit more viable across the other surfaces. If you look at the balance of where their majors have been won, I think that’s probably true given that three of the four are not on clay."

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With a 39-year old Federer who has only played in two events in 2021, and Nadal turning 35 later this year, Courier believes that the odds favor Djokovic, who is younger and has proven to be extremely durable over the last few years.

“It’s hard to see Rafa not winning at least 2-3 more based on how healthy he is right now and how much of a prohibitive favorite he is at Roland Garros so if he punches out to 22-23, Novak has a lot of ground to make up but he seems to be likely to have a longer career. He’s a year younger and he tends to be in pretty good health and as long as he can stay away from the operating table and stay focused, I think he can be viable until he’s 40 years old."

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Regardless, the retired American still sees Nadal as the favorite at this year's French Open, especially since the Djokovic hasn't defeated Nadal on clay in five years.

“There’s a few things to look to if you’re Novak and be optimistic about but of course Rafa has the reason to be the most optimistic of all,” Courier said of the French Open, where the draw will be unveiled on Thursday.