"Novak Djokovic will stay around and be a problem" - Jim Courier on Serb's 2025 chances despite "big shift"
Jim Courier believes that Novak Djokovic still has what it takes to threaten the dominance of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic won three out of four Majors in 2023 but failed to win even one of them this year. Meanwhile, Sinner clinched the Australian Open and US Open titles, and Alcaraz successfully defended his Wimbledon crown and won the French Open.
The Serb played only a handful of tournaments in 2024, with the Australian Open marking only his second competitive outing of the season. He was one of the favorites for the title in Melbourne. However, he was outplayed by Sinner in the semifinals. At the French Open, the 24-time Grand Slam champion reached the quarterfinals but had to withdraw from the claycourt Major due to a knee injury.
After undergoing surgery, the former World No. 1 was back in action at the Wimbledon Championships, where he fell to Alcaraz in the final for the second straight year. At the US Open, Novak Djokovic suffered a shock upset at the hands of Alexei Popyrin in the third round.
Recently, former World No. 1 Jim Courier assessed the Serb's chances heading into the 2025 season on the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast. According to Courier, Djokovic is set to keep challenging the likes of Sinner and Alcaraz. However, the 54-year-old claimed that the 24-time Major winner's frequency of participation is likely to affect proceedings next year.
"Novak, I think, will continue to stay around and be a problem for the top guys. But it's going to be up to him how much he is going to engage with them, and it's certainly not going to be on a full level," Courier said (5:34).
The four-time Grand Slam titlist went on to add that 2024 marked a generational change in men's tennis due to 23-year-old Sinner and 21-year-old Alcaraz's remarkable achievements.
"So, this year is, no question, a big shift. All four of the Majors went to the youth," Courier added.
The Serb himself recently said that he will return for competitive action right from the first week of the 2025 season.
"I am going at full throttle in the off-season" - Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic attended a recent EuroLeague basketball match in Belgrade, Serbia, where he was briefly interviewed by Sport Klub regarding his plans for 2025. The 37-year-old maintained that he wants to keep going, and will start playing from the first week of the new season, even though he is yet to make up his mind on the tournament.
"I told you guys that a million times. I would like to play the Davis Cup too, let’s see what happens. Tennis is still my focus! I am going at full throttle in the off-season, we go for another ride. I just needed to recharge and refresh a bit after an exhausting year. I am going to play in the first week of the season, I am just not sure yet where. Then, of course, Australian Open," Djokovic said.
The Serb's last competitive outing in 2024 came at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he reached the final but lost to Sinner at the last hurdle.