Tennis journalist Matt Roberts reckons Novak Djokovic can no longer beat both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at a Grand Slam. Djokovic hasn’t been able to win a Slam in the last seven Majors with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner dominating at the top level. While Sinner has won four, Alcaraz has won three out of the last seven Slams.
The Serbian suffered semifinal losses against Jannik Sinner at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Earlier in the season, Djokovic was forced to retire against Alexander Zverev in the semifinal of the Australian Open.
Djokovic is looking to win his 25th Grand Slam title, which would make him the most successful tennis player (male or female) in the history of sport. Currently, Djokovic is tied with legendary Margaret Court with 24 Major titles.
Roberts said on Tennis Podcast, “I think you can’t write him off completely because, I agree with you David [Law], if something happens and Sinner loses early or Alcaraz loses early, I still think Djokovic is the most likely to pick up the pieces because, yes, he’s struggling in these latter stages but I think he’s really struggling because he’s having to face a Sinner or an Alcaraz, and that’s taking so much out of him.
“I think, [during] the latter stages of a slam, if his route to the title suddenly looked like Fritz to play Zverev – I think if he’s not had to face Sinner, if he’s not had to face Alcaraz, yes he’s feeling it a bit, but I’m probably still backing him because of his experience and his talent and what he can still do, what he would have in the tank.
“So you can’t write him off completely but in the slams that we’ve seen recently where the fields are holding up and Sinner and/or Alcaraz are getting there at the end, I think it’s gone.
“I think that has gone for Novak Djokovic in terms of being able to beat both of them in the latter and that now is what it feels like he has to do and that to me is where the shift has been and that’s to me what he was saying in that press conference.
Meanwhile, Grigor Dimitrov had a 2-0 set lead against Sinner in the round of 16, but the Bulgarian was forced to retire after suffering an injury.
“I think he still thinks if Dimitrov takes out Sinner, suddenly it’s all looking a little bit different and he’s maybe hanging on that and he can maybe hope that one of those happens in the next year or so, which is possible, but at this stage feels quite unlikely.”
Djokovic will look to bring his best in the North American swing.
