"Not in contention for any big tournaments anymore, I’m done": Novak Djokovic's career at the top is over believes Steve Johnson
ATP
Novak Djokovic will never win another big tournament in his career; that is the viewpoint of Steve Johnson, who summed up his end of the season after the tennis icon missed out on the ATP Finals.
Djokovic last won a big title at the Paris Olympics, which now is over two years ago, and has since lost two Masters 1000 finals and a Grand Slam final and is now 40. He is still winning events somehow miraculously, but still the door is perhaps closing on him slowly.
Djokovic's reign at the top is over
“I am going to be honest, guys, I was very bullish on Novak Djokovic the last six weeks when he was saying, ‘I want to make Turin.'" I was thinking he is going to make it; it’s Novak. Why would I think otherwise? He wins Beijing, and then you think Novak is right here,” said Johnson.
“Not a great loss in Shanghai after that; loses to Struff, loses to Rinky Hijikata. I think it’s official for me that Novak is not in contention for any big tournaments anymore. I’m done. You never count him out, but I am starting to feel like 25 is not happening.”
John Isner disagreed with the sentiment that he can't compete for titles anymore, pointing towards next year's Australian Open. He said in opposition to Johnson's point that he doesn't think Djokovic can contend for those titles anymore.
“I don’t think that’s fair. I think it’s hard at this age to put together successive good results. That is what we saw in Asia. Your body just can’t back that up at 39 years old, even Novak,” he said.
“But during the course of one tournament, where you are solely focused on one tournament, and you have a lot of adrenaline… It’s not an outlandish statement by you by any means, but I am pumping the brakes on it, because he has his favourite Slam in two months’ time in Australia.”
Albeit Djokovic has had chances, he led Carlos Alcaraz by a set to love in this year's Australian Open final before losing out 6-2, 2-6, 3-6, and 5-7 on Rod Laver Arena, but with multiple chastening defeats, his time is running out.
He failed to qualify for the ATP Finals despite winning China and playing Swiss Indoors and Paris. But he will play one more tournament this year in the form of the rescheduled Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He joins Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur in December.
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Albeit Djokovic has played both editions of the event and is 1-3, only beating Rafael Nadal in a third-place match after losing to Sinner in the 2024 semi-finals. Last year he lost to Sinner again in the semi-finals before retiring due to injury against Taylor Fritz.
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