Novak Djokovic is preparing for another Madrid Open campaign, desperate to win a few matches ahead of the French Open at the end of May.
The Serbian legend hasn’t won a tournament since winning gold at the Olympics in August, whilst his last Grand Slam came back in 2023 when he lifted the US Open crown.
It’s been tough going for Djokovic who has battled injuries to his knee and hamstring in recent months, whilst he’s trying to garner some consistency working with Andy Murray as his coach.
The longer the drought goes on for Djokovic, the harder it will be for him to claim another title and with clay far from his best surface, the chances of him winning at Roland Garros on current form do feel relatively slim.
Rennae Stubbs delivers Novak Djokovic verdict
Given that Djokovic’s form has been pretty inconsistent this season, pundits have naturally started to discuss his form as a key topic, with some starting to doubt whether another big win will be on the horizon.
Stubbs does think Djokovic might be able to get one more title under his belt before he calls it quits, but she’s also said on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast that she wouldn’t be surprised if a big decision was made in the near future.
She said: “I don’t know what is going on. We cannot overemphasise, this is the greatest player of all time, he has won more than anyone else. But he is not getting younger and at some point, when you start getting scar tissue, that plaque on your brain, you have lost the confidence to start winning matches. I don’t care how great you are as a player, when you are not winning matches, it is not easy any more.
“Everybody starts to think you’re vulnerable, you are making errors you didn’t make before, you are not the disciplined player that you used to be and at some point you do get older, and your legs aren’t quite there and you are missing your shot because you are pulling the trigger too early or you just don’t have the discipline.
“I just feel like he has won one tournament. One. In a year and five months. That was the Olympics. Over best of three sets, which I can say I think was the best tennis I think I have ever seen him play but if it was best of five would he have won that Olympics? I don’t know. I don’t think so. I actually mentioned that to Carlos when I saw him two weeks later, I said bad luck, maybe in five sets you win. And he goes yeah I feel like that too. I was like yeah because he feels he can grind those matches out against Novak in best of five.
“I am going to go on the record. I think we might have seen the best of Novak Djokovic. I think he might surprise us with one tournament win before he retires, but I think we might not see him next year. I don’t care who you are, when you are that great, losing sucks. And I don’t care how much discipline you have to want to be better, losing sucks. When you are used to winning everything losing sucks and it starts to really affect you and your personal life and everything. It’s like why do I want to keep dragging myself away from my kids who are getting older? I told you this at the US Open two years ago, it was the first time I interviewed him and I thought he doesn’t sound overly pumped about going out to this match. It was the first time.
I think I asked him how do you get up for these matches and Arthur Ashe at night and he was like yeah sometimes I wonder myself. It wasn’t that verbatim. But I remember it was the first I have ever heard him bit a little bit negative and over going on the court. It was weird. And since then he has not done well.
“So I just think it is hard to keep digging yourself out and keep pretending you are still this great. Having Andy was maybe something to get a little spark going, and having some of Andy’s ideas, but I think at some point we all get old.”
Djokovic can now prove form is temporary and class is permanent
It’s been many years since Djokovic lost in so many first-round matches that he’s played and 2025 has not been ideal from his point of view so far.
Djokovic wouldn’t still be participating on the tour if he didn’t feel he could contribute and he will be leaving no stone unturned in a quest to revive his form.
You don’t win 24 Grand Slam titles and simply lose that winning touch and Djokovic will be hoping for a bit of fortune in a tournament sooner rather than later to try and revive his fortunes.
The Madrid Open will be the last big tournament before the French Open it really does feel like the perfect time for Djokovic to prove any of the doubters he has wrong and go on a deep run on the clay.
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