Djokovic opens up on current rising doubts against Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, plus his emotional 2016 Wimbledon turning point
Novak Djokovic offered a rare glimpse into both his current mindset and the psychological scars of his past during an honest interview with Piers Morgan. The 24-time Grand Slam champion spoke candidly about his doubts over winning more majors amid the dominance of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Before separately recalling a haunting moment from 2016 Wimbledon when, for the first time, he felt “empty” after years of triumph. The conversation shed light on two different yet deeply connected sides of Djokovic. The fighter in him is still pushing against time and the human being who once faced his own emotional void.
At 38, Djokovic’s reign is being tested by the surge of Alcaraz and Sinner, who have split the last eight Grand Slams between them. “I believe that to some extent I am the superman who can never injure myself, that can never be weak,” he admitted. “But I got a slap from reality in the last couple of years. I’m just getting to know this new chapter.”
Djokovic, now ranked fourth in the world, has endured a physically draining season, meeting the two young stars in three Slam semifinals but coming up short each time. He withdrew from multiple events later in the year, including the ATP Finals, after shoulder issues and fatigue.
In his own assessment, the Serbian remains brutally honest. “I’m aware that [comparing] my best level now and their best level now, they’re better. That’s the reality,” he said. “Yes, I do have doubts that I can win Slams, particularly against these two guys. But when I enter the court, I don’t care who’s across the net. I always believe I’m better and I deserve to win.”
Minutes later, the tone shifted as Djokovic revisited the first time he felt emotionally drained, at Wimbledon 2016. “The first time I felt empty was at Wimbledon 2016, in the match I lost to Sam Querrey,” he said. “We had two rain delays; when we resumed after the first one, I was two sets down, then won one and was at my best, but with the second pause, when I entered the locker room, I asked my team to leave me alone. I stayed for about 20 or 30 minutes staring at the wall and that was the first time I felt very empty.”
He added, “All the emotions from the past year came out, and my brain had had enough, and I needed to reset.” That loss ended his bid for a Calendar Slam and led to a temporary break from tennis, a rare surrender in an otherwise relentless career. Though, he resumed later that year from the US Open.
The two reflections, though shared minutes apart, reveal a single thread about the Nole’s constant dialogue between greatness and growth. Even after two decades in the top five, he continues to wrestle with the demands of excellence and the cost of sustaining it. After, if somehow he manages to win a 25th Grand Slam, then he would be the undisputed champion of tennis in its entire history, across men’s and women’s disciplines.
Mandatory Image Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
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