Insiders to tennis legend Novak Djokovic say they’ve found a serious threat to the Serbian’s dominance. Novak’s rivalries have spanned different generations, starting with the Big 3 of the 2000s and continuing with his current battle against Carlos Alcaraz in 2023.
The indomitable star shows no signs of slowing down as he approaches his 40s, remarkably still winning grand slam titles and maintaining his position at the top of the ATP ranking list. Goran Ivanisevic, the 36-year-old’s coach, who himself has been entangled in legal issues this past month, hinted at who could pose a formidable threat to Djokovic.
Ivanisevic highlights Jannik Sinner as key challenger for Novak Djokovic
Jannik Sinner has been one of the most consistent younger players on the tennis circuit in the past few years. Along with Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, and Holger Rune, the ginger-haired Italian has formed a new generation of elite athletes who are challenging for grand slams in tennis.
Ivanisevic recently said that Sinner would be Djokovic’s next ‘big opponent’ and would cause problems for the Serbian great in the near future. The 2001 Wimbledon champion noted that while Alcaraz was Novak’s primary rival, Sinner was a formidable foe for the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
“It will stay that way (Alcaraz being top of Djokovic’s list of rivals). There are other good tennis players, especially Daniil Medvedev, and Novak’s big opponent could be the Italian Jannik Sinner, who also knows how to get into a crisis, but it seems that he absolutely does not suit Alcaraz, and Novak could also have problems with him,” said the Croatian.
Djokovic leads Sinner 3-0 in their head-to-head battles and most recently beat the 22-year-old Italian 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) in the Wimbledon semifinals. Both players have had exceptional 2023 seasons, with Sinner claiming three ATP titles and Djokovic bettering him with an ATP title and three grand slam wins.
Davis Cup final eight features Djokovic and Sinner
Serbia reached the Davis Cup knockout stages with a spoonful of help from their captain, Novak Djokovic. An Alcaraz-less Spain was soundly beaten by Novak’s Serbia, and Serbia will play in the quarterfinals in Malaga, Spain.
The draft for the knockout stages was published recently, and Serbia is set to face Great Britain, who boast the likes of Andy Murray and Cameron Norrie in their ranks. Italy, featuring Sinner, will take on the Netherlands in what looks on paper to be a much more straightforward clash than Serbia’s matchup.
Both countries form the lower part of the draw and thus will likely face each other in the semifinals, given their progress from the quarterfinals. The possible clash could see a high-octane meeting between Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner.
Canada will face Finland, and Czech Republic will face Australia in the other quarterfinal matches. The quarterfinals will take place on November 23; the semifinals will happen on November 25; and the final is set to commence on November 26, 2023.
What are your opinions on Ivanisevic’s comments about the Sinner-Djokovic matchup? Will the two meet in the Davis Cup semifinals? Let us know in the comments section below.
