Novak Djokovic started the 2026 season impressively when he reached the Australian Open final, marking the 38th time he has reached the final of a Grand Slam tournament in his career. Although unable to win the championship in Melbourne, the Serbian player continues to show class and remarkable stability in major tournaments, despite being 38 years old.
At this year's Australian Open, Djokovic participated in the final match for the 11th time. On the journey to the final, he defeated Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals before losing to Carlos Alcaraz, despite winning the opening set. This defeat caused Djokovic to miss the opportunity to win his 25th Grand Slam title, but still affirmed that he is still capable of competing at the top.
However, age and fitness issues are posing major challenges for Djokovic in his journey to conquer more Grand Slam titles. According to former world No. 4 player Greg Rusedski, Djokovic needs to make reasonable adjustments to his schedule if he wants to optimize his chances of success in the final stage of his career.
Rusedski believes that Roland Garros, a Grand Slam tournament on clay courts, may no longer be a suitable target for Djokovic at the present time. This court requires high intensity of movement, long balls and a solid physical foundation, while Djokovic will turn 39 next May.
From then on, the former British tennis player advised Djokovic to consider ignoring Roland Garros to focus entirely on Wimbledon, similar to the way Roger Federer once chose in the late stages of his career. According to Rusedski, the grass court is more suitable for Djokovic thanks to short balls, lower fitness requirements and the ability to maximize serves along with competition experience.
Wimbledon is also a tournament full of memories for Djokovic, where he has won 7 times and is aiming for his 8th title to equal Federer's record. If he maintains his form at the Australian Open and prepares appropriately, Djokovic is still considered to have a chance to compete for the championship at the All England Club.
