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'He lost his drive': Patrick Mouratoglou explains why Novak Djokovic is struggling for 25th Grand Slam title

Originally posted on TennisUpToDate.com | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 10:12 AM ET

Novak Djokovic is preparing for his next challenge at Wimbledon, hoping to overcome a tough loss to Jannik Sinner in the French Open semifinals. The Serb continues his pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam title, but was once again eliminated in the final stages of a major tournament.

The Serb – always a title contender in every major he plays – has seen a shift in his Grand Slam results. Since the start of 2024, he boasts an enviable record of 26 wins and 5 losses for any player, but without any titles and only one final reached.

At Roland Garros, Djokovic enjoyed a strong winning streak up to the semifinals. He strung together 9 consecutive victories on clay (including the Geneva Open title the week prior) and achieved his best win of the season against Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals. He seemed to have a chance to surprise world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the semifinals, but he couldn't even steal a set, and the Italian advanced to the final with a straightforward 6-4, 7-5, 7-6(3) victory.

As months and tournaments pass, it seems increasingly difficult for "Nole" to win another major. The dominance of Alcaraz and Sinner is evident – they have shared the last six Grand Slam titles contested and arrive as overwhelming favorites compared to the rest of the competitors at the All England Club.

Naomi Osaka's coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, analyzed Djokovic's current situation and why he has struggled in the final stages of Grand Slams over the past two years. "It's not about the tennis, it's more about the mental side of it," the French coach claimed on his Instagram account. "I felt he did accept a little bit too much the dominance of Sinner on him, which is not Novak. I didn't see Novak I know, and I still think his motivation is not high enough. It's there, but I don't know where it is exactly."

Mouratoglou – who previously worked with Serena Williams, Holger Rune, and Simona Halep, among others – recalled how his rivalry with Federer and Nadal fueled Djokovic's desire to claim major titles. "Everybody was fan of Roger, everybody was fan of Rafa, everybody was saying they were the best players in the world, and he wanted to prove that he was the best," Mouratoglou added. "I think that was something that really drove him. He lost his drive for the reason that he's the greatest."

Djokovic - currently world No. 5 - will take a few weeks off for rest and recovery before traveling to London for Wimbledon. The Serb has 7 titles at SW19 and reached three other finals, the last two in 2023 and 2024, both falling to Carlos Alcaraz. The Serb is chasing Federer's record of 8 Wimbledon titles and looking to further extend his incredible Grand Slam tally in pursuit of his 25th major. Will the London grass courts provide him with an opportunity this time to challenge the dominance of Alcaraz and Sinner?