Goran Ivanisevic backs Novak Djokovic for another Grand Slam

Novak Djokovic has been determined to add to his 24 Grand Slam titles over the past two years, but Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have stood in his way.

Since Djokovic’s victory at the 2023 US Open, Sinner and Alcaraz have won the last nine Grand Slam titles between them.

Djokovic came close again at the Australian Open but lost in four sets to Alcaraz in the Grand Slam final.

The Serbian shows no signs of retirement, and his former coach Goran Ivanisevic has explained why Djokovic still has it in him to win a major.

Novak Djokovic backed to claim another Grand Slam

Ivanisevic has seen first-hand how strong Djokovic’s mentality is and he believes that could be the key to his 25th Grand Slam title. The Croatian was part of Djokovic’s coaching setup from 2019 to 2024, a period in which the Serbian claimed nine major titles.

Speaking to SportKlub, Ivanisevic said: “If I hadn’t worked with him, maybe I would say no. But knowing him, there are no ‘can’t’ or ‘impossible’ in his vocabulary. Of course, it is possible.

“Many wonder where his motivation to keep competing comes from. I hear some so-called experts constantly ruling him out. I don’t know if they truly understand tennis.

“Djokovic plays because he loves to compete, be on the court, and win. He will always be at the top. He will always be up there.”

Ivanisevic thinks that Djokovic’s form across 2025 so far shows he can still mix it with the best on tour.

“Just look at how many tournaments he played last year and he’s still third in the world. No matter how much talk there is about youngsters, they’re not there.”

“We have these two (Sinner and Alcaraz) who play a different sport, we have Alexander Zverev who is always around, and Novak who is special – the greatest tennis player of all time who can never be ruled out of the title race.”

The world number three recently withdrew from this week’s Monte Carlo Masters for personal reasons and it remains unclear when his next tournament appearance will come.

Why Novak Djokovic should avoid clay court season

Djokovic may want to take a practical approach this season and acknowledge that his chances of winning Roland Garros are lower than at any other Grand Slam.

Clay is the most challenging surface, and the likelihood of Djokovic defeating both Sinner and Alcaraz in succession at Roland Garros is slim.

The Masters events in Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome are already demanding, so skipping the first one could be a sensible move for Djokovic.

He should consider skipping the clay season altogether to focus on a full grass court schedule, aiming to maximise his chances at Wimbledon.

This approach would also help him prepare for the US Open, which could be crucial in his pursuit of a 25th major title.

Read more: