"There is a new Big Three - Djokovic, Sinner and Alcaraz" - Australian legend picks the Serbian to win more Slams next year
ATP
Despite being the elder statesman of the ATP Tour at age 37, Novak Djokovic has been included as a member of the new Big Three in tennis by Australian tennis legend Paul McNamee.
Having been on the ATP Tour for over two decades, Djokovic was a member of the original Big Three, which included fierce rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. With the latter two either retired or on the verge of retirement, Djokovic still looks to be going strong. This year, the Serbian was a semifinalist at the Australian Open, finished runner-up at the Wimbledon Championships, before winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games.
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McNamee believes Djokovic is favorite to win 2025 Australian Open
Following his third round loss at the 2024 US Open, Djokovic will end a season without winning a Major title for the first time since 2017. Nonetheless, McNamee still has faith in the Serbian's ability to win a Grand Slam title in the future.
“Oh, of course! There is a new Big Three – Djokovic, Sinner and Alcaraz,” said the four-time Grand Slam titlist. “I would say that Novak is still the favourite in Australia to win his 11th title. I think Novak is No.1 in Melbourne.
“Here, Alexei Popyrin played brilliantly, but it is clear how much winning the gold drained Novak. Apart from Australia, I think he is also the favourite at Wimbledon. If he doesn’t win a Slam next year, that question [of retirement] will be asked.
“On the other hand, it is also a deeply personal question. Andy [Murray] probably played too long, but he wanted to play. It is a personal decision when someone retires. Personally, I think he will play the whole next year and see how it goes."
“Here, Alexei Popyrin played brilliantly, but it is clear how much winning the gold drained Novak. Apart from Australia, I think he is also the favourite at Wimbledon. If he doesn’t win a Slam next year, that question [of retirement] will be asked.
“On the other hand, it is also a deeply personal question. Andy [Murray] probably played too long, but he wanted to play. It is a personal decision when someone retires. Personally, I think he will play the whole next year and see how it goes."
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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