Djokovic: Hoping for a third contender to challenge Sinner, not enjoying two-week Masters tournaments as much as Grand Slams

Since the end of Wimbledon, Serbian tennis champion Djokovic has stayed away from competition. In a recent interview, he openly discussed his changes in tournament plans and lightly addressed the contest for the “third player” position in men’s tennis.

When talking about the current dominance of Sinner and Alcaraz in men’s tennis, Djokovic stated that other young players will inevitably rise to challenge them in the future, and he is happy to see that happen.

“Alcaraz and Sinner have been outstanding, but those behind them won’t stand still. Rune has had ups and downs, and there are new talents like Fonseca... I hope someone steps up to compete, especially for my spot — the third place.” He even showed some “sympathy”: “Honestly, I used to be third myself — but back then, I was alongside Federer and Nadal at the same level. Now? I want to see a new third-ranked player emerge!”

At 38 years old, Djokovic continues to demonstrate strong dominance in Grand Slam events this year: he reached the semifinals in the first three Grand Slams. Except for withdrawing from the Australian Open semifinals due to injury, he lost the other two semifinals to Sinner. This consistent performance secures his position as the “third player” in today’s tennis world behind Alcaraz and Sinner.

Djokovic’s remarks reflect his hope as a veteran for a healthy cycle in tennis, while also acknowledging the strength and talent of the new generation in the sport.

When asked why he skipped warm-up tournaments after Wimbledon, Djokovic spoke about his current desire to focus on family and his plans for future participation.

Djokovic clearly explained that his absence from several Masters tournaments after Wimbledon was a personal choice rather than due to injury. He said, “I decided to spend more time with my family. And honestly, I feel I’ve earned the right — I can afford to choose where I want to go and which tournaments to play.”

He went further to admit that he no longer “enjoys the two-week Masters tournaments”: “My main focus now is on Grand Slams, as I’ve said before. If you think about it informally, we essentially have ‘12 Grand Slams’ a year — because Grand Slams last two weeks, and Masters tournaments are about the same length. I’m no longer chasing rankings, points, or defending titles like before.”

Regarding the fact that most Masters tournaments now follow a two-week schedule, Djokovic admitted it can sometimes be physically and mentally exhausting, but he also noted this might not change in the short term.

“I’ve noticed many top players oppose this extended format, and I support them. But when players needed to speak up and get involved in negotiations and decisions, their participation wasn’t active enough,” Djokovic predicted. “Unless all ATP Masters events and the ATP Board’s player representatives agree to revert the format, which I highly doubt, because this system brings them substantial benefits.”

Djokovic then emphasized that what truly matters to him now is “motivation and happiness,” rather than frequently playing tournaments that leave him exhausted. He explained, “Which events inspire me to play my best tennis? That’s what I care about now. And clearly, the Grand Slams are the four tournaments where I feel most motivated.”

In response, former Wimbledon champion and tennis commentator Boris Becker said, “Novak no longer needs to prove anything, and he has the right to pick his schedule. But the question is, will lack of match practice affect his form in Grand Slams? After all, the younger players are competing continuously.”

Tennis columnist Eric Boby from L’Equipe wrote, “Djokovic is essentially redefining the participation model for ‘elite older players’ — focusing only on Grand Slams and mostly skipping others. It’s reasonable but also bold.”

For many Chinese fans who are very concerned about whether Djokovic will participate in this year’s Asian season, Djokovic stated, “Apart from Grand Slams, I currently have no scheduled tournaments. The US Open is the most important event at the moment, that’s it.”(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)