One of the biggest questions in men’s professional tennis currently is who will break Novak Djokovic’s record of 24 Grand Slam titles. Some say it’s Carlos Alcaraz, who has already won seven major titles at 22, while others say it’s Jannik Sinner, who has a similar playstyle to Djokovic. Or is it going to be the Serbian legend himself?
Djokovic’s former coach, Goran Ivanišević, shared his thoughts on this topic, backing the Serbian legend for a record-extending 25th major title.
Former Coach Goran Ivanišević Believes Novak Djokovic Can Win a 25th Major
Djokovic is one of the greatest tennis players of all time, and as the only active member of the Big Three, he continues to rewrite history. The Serbian legend revamped the boundaries in professional tennis, changing what’s possible and what’s not in the sport.
In his more than two-decade career, Djokovic has played in a total of 38 major finals, winning 24 times while facing defeat 14 times against top players from two different eras. Since reaching his first major final in the 2007 US Open, the Serbian legend has reached at least one major final every year except for 2009, 2017, and 2025.
His former coach, Ivanišević, who worked with him from 2019 to 2024, led him to nine major titles, from the legendary 2019 Wimbledon final to the 2023 US Open. The Croatian showed confidence in the Serbian legend, stating, “If I hadn’t worked with Novak Djokovic, I would’ve said a 25th Grand Slam isn’t possible. Since I’ve known him, the words ‘I can’t’ and ‘impossible’ don’t exist with him.”
This just barely captures the mental resilience of the Serbian, who has one of the strongest minds in the sport.
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Ivanišević said, “If he’s mentally ready and focused, there’s nothing he can’t do.” He entirely dismissed the conversations surrounding Djokovic’s declining physicality, stating that with his mind and focus, the Serbian legend can outsmart anyone and win a 25th major.
Respected coach Patrick Mouratoglou shared a reel on Instagram following the conclusion of the 2026 Australian Open, revealing the real reason Djokovic hasn’t won his 25th major yet. He stated that the 38-year-old isn’t motivated enough for another major, like he was for the 2024 Olympics, or he would have won it already.
This confidence from the tennis coaches and the sport’s greatest minds shows that, despite being nearly twice his competitors’ age, the only thing stopping Djokovic from winning is his own mindset.
Will Djokovic Finally Win His 25th Major?
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has been waiting for his 25th major since September 2023, when he defeated former World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev to lift the US Open title. Since then, he reached the 2024 Wimbledon final, losing to Alcaraz in straight sets.
He then reached the semifinals of all four majors last year, losing to Sinner or the Spaniard in those matches, halting his momentum three of four times. However, his 2026 Australian Open performance sparked debate over whether he is still one of the top three players in the world.
Despite reaching the final, he was unable to get the job done following the exhausting match against Sinner and could not fight back against Alcaraz. For Djokovic to win another major, many things need to go his way: a low-ranked player must take out either of the top two players, and he must finish his matches in straight sets to preserve his peak form and avoid injuries.
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As of now, it seems nearly impossible for him to get past the Italian-Spaniard duo, which he will most likely face in the semifinal and final. The fact that he is one of the ATP stars capable of taking on these two, whereas the rest of the Tour accepts their defeat straight away, shows just how competitive he still is.
Currently, the Serbian legend is out of action, recovering from a right shoulder injury that kept him out of the Miami Open and, now, the Monte-Carlo Masters. Fans are eagerly awaiting Djokovic’s return to the Tour to witness history being rewritten on tennis courts.
