Novak Djokovic still the man to beat in men’s tennis, but youngsters knocking on the door as Australian Open nears
- Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner lead next generation of stars coming for world’s best
- Djokovic though shows little sign of slowing down, and is eyeing another shot at a golden slam
Novak Djokovic tightened his iron grip on men’s tennis in 2023 but fans got another glimpse of the sport’s future flagbearers as Carlos Alcaraz stopped the Serb from sweeping the grand slams and Jannik Sinner landed a late blow.
Playing some of his best tennis at 36, and having crossed a record 400 weeks at the top of the world rankings, Djokovic is primed to push for a golden slam of winning all four majors and the Olympic crown in Paris next year.
“The drive is still there. My body has been serving me well, listening to me well,” Djokovic said after clinching his record seventh ATP Finals title. “The mindset is the same. I’ll keep going.”
Djokovic’s supremacy in an extraordinary season helped him equal the injured Rafa Nadal’s tally of 22 major titles at the Australian Open with a hamstring tear and surpass his old rival at the French Open, crushing a cramping Alcaraz along the way.
But a rejuvenated Alcaraz ended Djokovic’s Wimbledon reign in an epic five-setter to capture his second grand slam title and suggest that, after nearly two decades of “Big Three” control, a changing of the guard was imminent.
Those hoping a new era was about to begin would be disappointed, however, as Djokovic lifted a 24th grand slam at the US Open and secured the year-end No 1 spot at the ATP Finals where he dismantled Sinner to prevail.
