At 37, Novak Djokovic is no longer the seemingly immovable force who defied the limits of tennis for so many years. With 24 Grand Slam titles, 40 Masters trophies, and a résumé that stands atop the sport, the Serbian great is showing signs in 2025 that the relentless hunger that once drove him, may finally be softening.
After his early exit at the Madrid Open, Djokovic made some telling remarks:
“I didn’t have high expectations here,” he admitted in his post-match press conference. “I just hoped to play one more match than in Monte Carlo. It’s weird, I wasn’t used to approaching these tournaments like this over the last 20 years. It’s the cycle of life.”
He added:
“This could have been my last match in Madrid. I don’t know if I’ll be back.”
It’s not simply about the occasional upset—although those are more common now. It’s the subtler signs: flashes of frustration, a moment of visible fatigue, or a post-match demeanor that gives off an air of resignation. For a man who has climbed every mountain the sport has to offer, the unavoidable question now lingers: How much has Djokovic’s motivation faded?
Too Old, Too Successful
Age, inevitably, plays a role. Djokovic’s longevity remains extraordinary – evidence to his obsession with fitness, diet, recovery, and discipline. While most of his contemporaries have long since retired or faded into ceremonial roles, he has pushed the boundaries of what’s possible with a gluten-free diet, yoga routines, and hyperbaric chambers.
But even the greats cannot escape time forever. The sprints are a fraction slower. The five-set battles take a heavier toll. All the while, the young guns—Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune—are storming through the ranks with the kind of physicality and hunger, that once defined Djokovic himself.
Speaking candidly back in 2023, he acknowledged as much:
“In the past, I used to recover much quicker. Now I have more difficulties and more pain. It depends on the mental side of things as well—how long will I stay motivated, considering that I achieved almost everything in this sport.”
Two years later, that motivation is still there (on occasions)—but sustaining it seems a greater challenge.
There’s also the reality of unparalleled success. Djokovic has won nearly everything there is to win:
- 24 Grand Slams
- 40 Masters events
- Olympic gold
- 428 weeks (and counting) atop the ATP rankings
- Highest career prizemoney
- Most different years ranked #1 (13)
And so the list goes on…..
With that much success, it would be ridiculous to expect Djokovic’s motivation to remain anywhere near what it was 10 years ago. Mentally, it’s almost impossible to stay up for as long as he has already.
An Absence of Rivals
His battles with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were not just matches—they were events in their own right, rich with personal stakes and historical resonance.
But now, Federer has been retired since 2022. Nadal said goodbye in 2024. Without them, something intangible has been lost.
Reflecting on Nadal’s imminent retirement in 2024, Djokovic admitted:
“I remember John McEnroe was saying in one of the documentaries that I’ve seen recently that when Bjorn Borg retired, he felt like part of him also retired even though he kept going.
And that’s I must say a similar feeling that I have with Roger retiring and Rafa not playing much at all. It’s a strange feeling.”
He has been open about this on multiple occasions.
“Because those two are the two greatest rivals I ever had in my career. They have actually defined me as a player, and all the success that I have had. They have contributed to it, in a way, because of the rivalries that we had.
(I spent) countless hours thinking and analyzing what it takes to win against them on the biggest stage. For me and my team, it was just those 2 guys occupying my mind for the last 15 years quite a lot.”
With his 2 biggest rivals now watching from the sidelines, Djokovic has been somewhat forced into rivalries with the new generation.
Facing Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner, for all their brilliance, doesn’t carry the same personal fire.
A Changing Aura
Sitting courtside at the 2025 Australian Open, Djokovic ground through early rounds, but lacked the invincibility of old. He dropped sets to players like Nishesh Basavareddy and Jaime Faria—players he once brushed aside with ease.
However, in the quarter-finals, Djokovic lifted, showing the tennis world what he still was capable of, defeating Alcaraz in 4 sublime sets. Sadly, he was forced to retire after the opening set against Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals.
Since then, he has suffered losses to players ranked 44, 32, 54, 85, and 35. He’s lost part of his aura, and players believe they’re a chance against him now. That’s a tough position to be in as an all-time great.
The Last Great Hunt
So why keep going?
One word: history.
Perhaps looking at his results recently, it becomes clearer how much more effort and desire he is now putting into the Slams.
Djokovic himself has alluded to that:
“It’s no secret that one of the main reasons I play today and compete in professional tennis is to try to break more records and make more history.”
Djokovic is tied with Margaret Court at 24 Grand Slam titles (despite the fact most of us understand that his 24 stands high above Court’s 24). The quest for an unprecedented 25th major remains the North Star guiding him forward.
Breaking records is something that drives him. And he believes he can still do it.
He nearly did. In 2024, he captured that elusive Olympic gold, and reached 3 Slam quarter-finals or better.
This year, while the recent results in Madrid and Monte Carlo, don’t look great, the semi-final in Melbourne, and the final in Indian Wells, are proof enough that Djokovic can still get that Slam number 25. But he’ll need an injury free run, and probably a bit of luck with draws along the way.
Roland Garros remains a key target this year—Djokovic himself has said it’s his only real goal on clay. Following that, Wimbledon will be huge. If he doesn’t reach his goal there, it will be interesting to see how much of the US swing he plays leading up the US Open. He may want to keep his body fresh for 1 last crack this season.
The fire may not burn as fiercely, but it’s not extinguished.
Whether that desire can carry him to Slam No. 25 remains the most fascinating question in tennis. As always with Djokovic, betting against him feels unwise.
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