Djokovic 'not Giving Up On Slams' - But Can Body Keep Up?

US Open 2025

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September

Coverage: Live power commentaries crossed 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, positive unrecorded matter commentaries connected nan BBC Sport website & app

Novak Djokovic is starting to go nan feline who only turns up for nan large occasions.

With nan ageing process taking a toll, nan 38-year-old is not keen to capable up his tennis diary.

Engagements person been sparse complete nan past 3 months. Only 3 Grand Slam galas - nan French Open, Wimbledon and nan US Open - person been worthy attending.

And now his latest bid for a standalone 25th awesome title is complete aft conclusion successful nan New York semi-finals, Djokovic is not judge what his early plans are.

"I still want to play Grand Slams and a afloat Grand Slam play adjacent year," said nan Serb.

"Let's spot whether that's going to hap aliases not. But Slams are Slams - they are conscionable different from immoderate different tournament.

"They are nan pillars of our sport, nan astir important tournaments we have."

Djokovic has scaled down his playing clip considerably complete caller seasons, tailoring his schedule to attraction connected nan majors.

Moving clear of Australia's Margaret Court successful position of Grand Slam titles is nan biggest ambition near successful his mind.

His assemblage is not, however, complying.

Djokovic mightiness person defied logic to scope nan semi-finals of each 4 fields this year, but a straight-set conclusion by 22-year-old Carlos Alcaraz astatine Flushing Meadows was different illustration of his waning beingness powers.

Alcaraz and 24-year-old Jannik Sinner person cleaned up nan past 7 awesome titles betwixt them, having taken their games to a acold superior level than anybody other connected nan ATP Tour.

"I tin do only arsenic overmuch arsenic I tin do," Djokovic said.

"It will beryllium very difficult for maine successful nan early to flooded nan hurdle of Sinner and Alcaraz successful best-of-fives astatine Grand Slams.

"I deliberation I person a amended chance successful best-of-three, but best-of-five, it's tough.

"I'm not giving up connected Grand Slams successful that regard. I'm going to proceed fighting and trying to get to nan finals and conflict for different trophy astatine least."

Any speech astir tennis' top athletes must see Djokovic.

After suffering beingness issues early successful his career, he transformed himself into a complete jock and roseate to nan apical of nan athletics acknowledgment to his speed, strength, stamina and flexibility.

Many person described Djokovic's on-court contortions arsenic "super-human". But he isn't. Father Time is intelligibly catching up pinch him for illustration everyone else.

The effort needed to triumph points against Alcaraz - particularly successful a tight 2nd group which you felt he needed to triumph to guidelines immoderate chance of turning nan lucifer astir - guzzled excessively overmuch fuel.

"I ran retired of gas. The level of fittingness wasn't capable for Carlos," Djokovic admitted.

"Pretty overmuch each lucifer location is thing happening that you person to reside and woody with."

After winning a 27-shot speech astatine 4-4 0-30 down, Djokovic winced and gasped for aerial earlier bending complete his towel box.

A 2nd upwind allowed him to clasp service and return nan 2nd group into a tie-break. But erstwhile he mislaid that, he could not recover.

Djokovic courageously hit Alcaraz successful nan Australian Open quarter-finals successful January, contempt being hampered by injury.

But nan exertions meant he was not capable to complete nan semi-final against Alexander Zverev 3 days later.

He reached nan past 4 astatine nan French Open and Wimbledon but faded again aft being incapable to break down Sinner.

"It's awesome what he has done this twelvemonth successful nan Slams and challenging america nan measurement he's doing," said Alcaraz.

"I told him he looks 25 years aged physically. To support that level astatine 38, it's impressive."

Despite his advancing years and scaled-down schedule, Djokovic is still nan world's third-best men's player.

There were glimpses of his value against Alcaraz, specified arsenic a vintage backhand victor down nan statement successful nan first set, arsenic good arsenic nan ball-striking connected his measurement to edging nan longest rally of nan lucifer successful nan second.

This level was capable to hit German world number 3 Zverev and American 4th seed Taylor Fritz successful nan French Open and US Open quarter-finals.

Ultimately, Djokovic does not rather person nan velocity aliases endurance to prolong his highest level against Alcaraz and Sinner. Yet his Grand Slam performances mean he trails only Alcaraz and Sinner successful nan yearly ATP Tour title - contempt playing 11 tournaments this season.

Other than an ATP 250 arena successful Athens - a tourney owned by his family and relocated from Belgrade - he says location is simply a "question mark" what events he will play for nan remainder of nan season.

Djokovic did not want to deliberation astir nan early successful nan aftermath of his Flushing Meadows conclusion - and surely not arsenic "far" arsenic nan Australian Open successful small complete 4 months' time.

Djokovic often describes Rod Laver Arena arsenic his 2nd home, having won a grounds 10 men's titles there.

If he is ever going to propulsion clear of Court, past it feels for illustration Melbourne remains his champion chance to do it - if he makes abstraction successful his diary.