Has Father Time Finally Caught Up With Novak Djokovic?

The most successful player of all time Novak Djokovic, has just ended his second straight season without a Major title, at a stage in his career where only the biggest events truly matter to both him and his legacy. He has won a Gold medal in that time, the last achievement to elude him, but all the same it is hard to escape that Djokovic finds himself in limbo. He has cemented his legacy at the very top of the game historically, but is clearly no longer at the top of the men’s game in the present day.

Of course, his decline shouldn’t be overstated. For much of the tour, his 2025 would be considered a career year: winning an ATP title, reaching the semifinals of all four Slams, and staying firmly ranked inside the top 10. Yet, when you are Djokovic, deep runs at the Slams and titles in Geneva don’t mean very much much. In fact, 2024–2025 marks the first time he has not won a Major in consecutive years since 2009–2010.

One key similarity? He is being denied by two all-time greats ahead of him.

From Federer and Nadal to Sinner and Alcaraz

Djokovic is not new to being the “third one”. When he broke out on tour, Roger Federer was in the middle of his all-time run, while Rafael Nadal was beginning his prodigious rise. More often than not, Djokovic found himself hitting a wall named “Fedal” at the biggest tournaments. From 2007 to 2010, he reached the semifinals or beyond of a Major nine times, losing to either Nadal or Federer in seven of those matches.

Similarly, since 2024, he has made the semifinals of a Major six times. Five ended at the hands of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, and the sixth came via a mid-match retirement caused by an injury sustained against Alcaraz in the previous round. At 38 years old, Djokovic is remarkably the clear third-best player in the world—good enough to beat everyone else, but consistently stopped by the new “Big Two.” In many ways, he has come full circle.

Djokovic has acknowledged that while retirement is closer than ever, he still intends to return next year to compete in all four Slam tournaments. His goal is to create a schedule that maximizes his chances against the top two players in the world. He admitted that defeating them in a best-of-five format might be too challenging; however, he believes his chances improve in a best-of-three format. The bigger question remains: if he knows his odds of winning the Slam tournaments are slim, will he still find the motivation to endure another season?

When he broke through at the 2008 Australian Open, Djokovic needed to beat only one member of the Fedal duo. As destiny had it, Federer was recovering from mononucleosis and possibly not at his best. Djokovic seized the moment and claimed his first major. His path today may be similar—perhaps facing only Alcaraz or Sinner, and catching them on an off day. The odds remain slim, but not impossible.

The difference now is time. Back then, Djokovic entered as the younger challenger. Federer was five years older, Nadal carried more injuries, and Djokovic still had the gift of youth. Today, he is nearly 15 years older than his rivals and more likely to suffer from fatigue or injury himself.

Djokovic’s career grew out of extraordinary talent, relentless discipline, and an unmatched work ethic. Being the “third man” against Federer and Nadal forged him into the competitor who was the Tour’s dominant force for the majority of a 12 year stretch between 2011 and 2023. Indeed, being third arguably turned him into the number one. Now, however, time is no longer on his side. Djokovic gave this sport his blood, sweat, and tears. He climbed two mountains and made himself Everest. But as all sportsmen discover, Father Time is an opponent that no one can beat.