Author: Richard Pagliaro @Nowtennis | Friday, January 10, 2025
Photo credit: Jean Catuffe/Getty
Novak Djokovic Is an eternal optimist.
The Grand Slam king doesn’t consider his major milestones to be timeless records.
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in a new GQ cover story Q&A24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic quotes four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz and World No. 1 Jannik Sinner As two players with the potential to surpass his major accomplishments.
“People say no one can beat my record. But I doubt it,” Djokovic told GQ. “I mean, Carlos could be next. Or even Janik.
“Carlos did something at such a young age that no one has ever done in history. So I think he has every chance. I think he’ll get over it pretty quickly.”
Roland Garros and Wimbledon defending champion Alcaraz is aiming to become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam by winning this month’s Australian Open.
The 21-year-old Spaniard defeated the 37-year-old Serbian superstar in consecutive Wimbledon finals. Djokovic said that while he admired Alcaraz’s ambition, it might be too early to “think about history.”
“He said so himself, he wanted to make history,” Djokovic said of Alcaraz. “He wants to be ‘the best in history.’ I respect that mentality, like, ‘Hey, I think I have what it takes.’ But maybe it’s too early to think about history.
Djokovic delivered a lesson in staying cool under pressure as he defeated Alcaraz 7-6, 7-6 in the 2024 Paris Olympic gold medal match, before providing an encouraging endorsement for the defending French Open champion.
Djokovic, competing in his fifth Olympics, made history by becoming the oldest player to win an Olympic singles gold medal since tennis returned to competition at the 1988 Seoul Games.
At the net, Djokovic told Alcaraz that his gold medal moment was coming.
“He told me that one day I would win an Olympic gold medal,” Alcaraz told the media at the post-match press conference. “We’re going to work on it. I believe my time will come.”
