ATP Tour

Djokovic: 'If I can put puzzle pieces together, I can beat anybody'

Does Novak Djokovic believe he can beat Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz in best-of-five set matches at the Grand Slams?

Based on the 24-time major winner’s pre-Australian Open press conference Saturday, the answer remains a little unclear.

The Serbian took down Alcaraz in the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park just 12 months ago, but then lost to Sinner in the semi-finals of Roland Garros and Wimbledon and Alcaraz at the US Open. After his defeat at Flushing Meadows, he candidly expressed doubt that he could still stay with Sinner or Alcaraz at the majors.

But with a fresh season upon him, Djokovic told media that there’s a chance.

“I know that when I'm healthy, when I'm able to put all the pieces of the puzzle together on a given day, I feel like I can beat anybody. If I don't have that self-belief and confidence in myself, I wouldn't be sitting here and talking to you guys or competing,” Djokovic said.

“I understand that Sinner and Alcaraz are playing on a different level right now… but that doesn't mean that nobody else has a chance. So I like my chances always, in any tournament, particularly here.”

Later in his presser, however, the 10-time Australian Open champion, seemed to temper talk of potentially going through both Sinner [in the semi-finals] and top seed Alcaraz [in the final] to take the title. 

“I'm missing a little bit of juice in my legs, to be honest, to be able to compete with these guys at the later stages of a Grand Slam,” said Djokovic, who withdrew from this week's Adelaide International, saying that his body wasn't quite ready to return to competition. “But I'm definitely giving my best as I have in '25, and I think I have done very well and challenged them on their route to the title.

“I lost three out of four slams against either Sinner or Alcaraz… We know how good they are, and they absolutely deserve to be where they are. They are the dominant forces of the men's tennis at the moment. I'm still trying to be in the mix.”

Djokovic, 38, is attempting to win his 13^th major after the age of 30. For context, Pete Sampras won 14 Grand Slams throughout his career.

Fifth-seeded Djokovic opens his 21st Australian Open campaign against Spaniard Pedro Martinez. He is seeded to meet Brandon Nakashima in the third round and Jakub Mensik in the fourth round, which would be a rematch of the 2025 ATP Masters 1000 final in Miami, won by the Czech.

Did You Know?
Information courtesy ITF

Aged 38 years 255 days, Djokovic is bidding to become the oldest player in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam men’s singles title and the first man in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam title aged 38 or older. Ken Rosewall is the only man in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam title aged 37 or older, at the 1972 Australian Open. (NB ages calculated at the end of the tournament)

Should he reach the final here, Djokovic will become the 2nd man in the Open Era to reach multiple Grand Slam finals after turning 37, after Rosewall, who contested 3 Grand Slam finals after his 37th birthday. He would also become the 2nd man in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam final after turning 38, after Rosewall, who contested 2 Grand Slam finals aged 39.

Djokovic is also bidding to win his 13th Grand Slam title since turning 30 and extend his record for most Grand Slam singles titles won after the age of 30 in the Open Era. He claimed sole ownership of the record by winning his 11th Grand Slam title since turning 30 at 2023 Roland Garros, moving ahead of Serena Williams. Djokovic is bidding to win his 5th Australian Open title since turning 30.

Djokovic is bidding to win the title here 18 years after winning his first Grand Slam title here in 2008 and claim the Open Era record for longest gap between first and most-recent Grand Slam singles titles.