Novak Djokovic’s ex-rival makes ‘given up’ claim about the Serb challenging Alcaraz & Sinner
Former ATP Tour stars Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Mischa Zverev have weighed in on Novak Djokovic’s prospects ahead of the 2026 season.
Djokovic begins the campaign ranked fourth in the world behind Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev.
In 2025, Djokovic reached the semi-finals at all four Grand Slams, won titles in Geneva and Athens and was a runner-up at the Miami Masters.
The 38-year-old will get his year underway at the Adelaide International, an ATP 250 tournament which will be held from January 12 to 17. He won the Adelaide International in his only previous appearance in 2023.
The Serbian will then aim to win a record-extending 11th Australian Open title and 25th Grand Slam in total. Djokovic secured his most recent major at the 2023 US Open.
What did Jo-Wilfried Tsonga say about Novak Djokovic?
In an interview with Swiss outlet Blick, Tsonga addressed whether Djokovic can compete with Alcaraz and Sinner in 2026.
“When you hear him talk about Carlos and Jannik today, putting them on another level, you sometimes get the impression that he’s already given up,” said the Frenchman.
“But I think he’s still ready. He continues to play very good tennis. And if there’s even an inch of opening, he’ll strike.
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“You can feel that with each step onto the court, he pushes the limits even further. It will be fascinating to follow him this year.”
Tsonga, a former world No 5, holds a 6-17 record from the 23 matched he played against Djokovic.
What did Mischa Zverev say about Novak Djokovic?
Speaking to the same publication, Mischa Zverev — the older brother of Alexander Zverev — also shared his thoughts on Djokovic.
“With Novak, you can still feel that something is missing,” said the German, who peaked at 25th in the ATP Rankings.
“Perhaps the pace, which is currently a bit higher with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
“In the final stages of Grand Slams or Masters tournaments, you should never rule out Novak. But his body clearly plays a role. He simply has a few more kilometres under his belt.
“Alcaraz and Sinner are ahead, then comes Sascha (Alexander Zverev). And after that, we don’t really know who follows.”
Mischa Zverev holds a 0-2 record against Djokovic.
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