Novak Djokovic might not have won any Grand Slams since 2023, but what he is able to accomplish at the majors he plays is astonishing. Few other players, if any, could take so much time off between tournaments, only to return and make deep runs at the most important events.
But the difference between the 24-time major winner and the best of the current players, especially Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, is vast and only growing. In the semifinals of Wimbledon, the Italian defeated the Serb in straight sets, with each ending at 6-4. The match wasn't particularly close.
In his , Djokovic was asked if he could have done anything tactically different against Sinner. The Serbian, who has always been one to heap praise on his opponents, didn't hesitate to drop a logical yet brutal answer.
Novak Djokovic drops the brutal truth about losing to Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon
"No, not really," Djokovic said. "Was a good old blowout. There's not much I could do... I was just half a step late basically in any shot. It's as simple as that."
Djokovic said he hopes to return to Wimbledon next year, when he will be 40 years old. That seems ancient for a professional tennis player hoping for high-end success, but he does keep coming close to winning his 25th Grand Slam, including reaching the final at the Australian Open in 2026.
The part that Djokovic said about being a half-step late on shots is important, though. While his tennis IQ remains elite, and he can anticipate what his opponent is trying to do, he might no longer have the speed to catch up to the ball as easily as he once did. Father Time is undefeated for a reason.
While Novak Djokovic can outthink many other players, he isn't going to ever be in the same physical form he was when he was 25 or 30. That kind of quickness doesn't return, and he is basically like a once-elite boxer, arguably the best ever, who can see a punch coming from a younger opponent and not be able to do anything to stop it.
That has to be a sobering realization for any athlete, but especially one who holds records in tennis for most major titles, most weeks at No. 1 on the ATP tour (428, and a full 118 weeks ahead of second-place Roger Federer), and most Masters 1000 titles (40). No doubt exists that Djokovic is one of the best players ever to pick up a racket, but he isn't one of the two best currently.
Fans likely love to watch Djokovic keep playing, as he isn't flaming out in the second round of tournaments with consistency. The issue is that while he makes deep runs at majors, once near the end, he is more than likely going to face a good old blowout.
