Novak Djokovic gets glowing Grand Slam prediction from two former world No 1s

Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open dream is over after he was forced to pull out of his semi-final against Alexander Zverev due to injury, but is that the end of his Grand Slam winning hopes?
The Serbian legend has won 24 Grand Slams in his remarkable career, more than any other male player and leaving him level with Margaret Court for the most major titles in tennis history.
Djokovic has made it clear that one of his last big targets is to win a 25th Grand Slam and after his body let him down against Zverev, he admitted he didn’t know if he would play at the Australian Open again.
When asked if he will be back in Melbourne for the first Grand Slam of 2026, Djokovic seemed less than convinced as he said: “I don’t know. There is a chance (it was his last appearance). Who knows? I will have to see how the season goes,” he said.
“I want to keep going. But whether I’m going to have a revised schedule or not for the next year, I’m not sure.”
Djokovic will now take time to recover from his latest injury, but he should take plenty of positives out of his first Grand Slam of the year.
His sensational win over Carlos Alcaraz proved he can still beat the new era of champions at the top of tennis and former world No 1 Jim Courier has predicted Djokovic will get the final Grand Slam title he craves before he hangs up his rackets.
“I think his body is more like a 32-year-old’s body rather than a 37-year-old’s body,” Courier told Eurosport.
“The game is more physical and we see him sliding into the corners chasing balls down.
“He’s been doing it for a long, long time. You’re going to pick up some injuries along the way but his tennis is there. If his body cooperates, I’m sure we will see him win at least one more major.
“I think he can get through the first couple of rounds [of Slams] because he is simply that good and has no weaknesses to speak of.
“The question is, does his body come in battle-tested? Does the jarring aspect of paying matches cause him to get injured? I’d be worried about his body responding to the strain of real match play.”
Former world No 1 Mats Wilander also backed Djokovic to claim another major title, as he also gave his verdict to Eurosport.
“I think he’ll definitely come back and manage his schedule,” said Wilander. “He’ll most probably play around 10-11 events. He’s playing great and I’d be very surprised if he’s not threatening in the other Slams, especially Wimbledon. But it is worrying at his age as recovery should take longer.
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“I think he will keep going as long as he can. I don’t think he will run out of motivation. Health is number one but I think with his lifestyle, he will be able to come back and be dangerous one more time.
“Novak is already pushing tennis boundaries by playing at such a high level at 37. When I watch him, I’m reminded that he won three Grand Slams in 2024—he still looks incredible.
“One of the happiest days of my career as a tennis analyst was the day Novak won his 24th Grand Slam. That solidified him as the greatest of all time. Now, the conversation has shifted to how many more he can win.”
“Athletes like Novak are rare. He’s 38 and still winning Olympic golds. Other legends like Tom Brady and Tiger Woods have retired, but Novak is still pushing the envelope.
“He’s becoming a legend not just in tennis, but in sports history. Every year he keeps playing and winning, he raises the bar for what’s possible. Novak is showing us that we can always strive for more. He’s setting an example for future generations.”
Djokovic will now wait to see when he is fit to play another tournament, with the French Open in May likely to emerge as his next big target.
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