'For Novak Djokovic, nothing is impossible'

That is the brief assessment from young star Holger Rune about Novak Djokovic's potential to compete for another Grand Slam.

Although he hasn't won another Grand Slam since 2023 and is entering the final phase of his career, Novak Djokovic has never been underestimated by his peers. Recently, the young Danish player Holger Rune affirmed that Djokovic adding another Grand Slam title to his extensive collection "is not impossible."

Djokovic won his 24th Grand Slam title — a record in men’s tennis history — at the US Open in September 2023. At that time, few could imagine that he would go through the next two years without winning any major titles. During this period, the Serbian player reached only one Grand Slam final — Wimbledon 2024 — where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets.

The past two years have seen near-total dominance by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who have shared all eight Grand Slam titles. In 2025 alone, Djokovic has been eliminated three times in the semifinals of Grand Slams by these two young rivals.

Besides the increasingly fierce competition, age is also a major challenge for Djokovic. He will turn 39 in May, and if he wants to win another Grand Slam, Nole will have to break the record held for over half a century by Ken Rosewall, who won the Australian Open in 1972 at age 37.

However, Rune believes no one has the right to dismiss the Serbian record-holder. "What Novak is doing is truly impressive. At every tournament, he reaches at least the semifinals, and people keep wondering when he will stop.", Rune shared with Marca. "If it were any other player at that age, I would say it's impossible. But with Novak, nothing is impossible."

Rune himself is on a journey to regain his status. Once expected to form a new "Big 3" alongside Alcaraz and Sinner, the Danish player reached a career-high ranking of world No. 4 in 2023 before declining due to inconsistent performance and injuries. After signs of revival early last year, Rune had to take a long break due to an Achilles tendon rupture.

Looking back, Rune admits the key factor that makes the difference is not talent but discipline. "Novak, Rafa, and Roger maintain consistency throughout the season. That comes from discipline, and I am relearning that every day.", he emphasized.