Djokovic, 38, Praises Rivals Who Beat Him to Grand Slams

At 38, most athletes would be bitter about watching younger rivals claim the victories they once dominated, but Novak Djokovic is showing the world what true sportsmanship looks like.

The tennis legend sat down Saturday on the eve of the Australian Open and did something remarkable. He openly praised Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the two young players who've beaten him in three of the last four Grand Slam tournaments, calling them "the dominant forces of men's tennis at the moment."

"We don't need to praise them too much," he joked with a smile. "They have been praised enough! We know how good they are, and they absolutely deserve to be where they are."

It's the kind of graciousness that doesn't always come easily in competitive sports. Djokovic has won 24 Grand Slam titles, tying the all-time record, but hasn't claimed a major championship since 2023.

Rather than pushing himself to the breaking point, Djokovic is showing wisdom that comes with experience. He withdrew from his warm-up tournament, acknowledging he needed to conserve energy and stay pain-free to compete with players nearly two decades younger.

"Obviously it takes more time to rebuild my body, because I understand that in the last couple of years, that's what changed the most for me," he explained. His honesty about aging as an athlete is refreshing in a culture that often demands invincibility.

Why This Inspires

Djokovic's approach reveals something powerful about redefining success. He recently stepped back from the Professional Tennis Players Association, an organization he co-founded in 2020, saying his values no longer aligned with its current direction.

"I felt like my name was overused," he said. "People, whenever they think about PTPA, they think it's my organisation, which is a wrong idea from the very beginning."

That takes real humility. Walking away from something you created so others can lead it forward shows he understands leadership isn't always about staying in the spotlight.

He still supports the concept and wishes the organization well, recognizing that players need independent representation. It's the kind of mature perspective that comes from decades at the top of your field.

At the Australian Open, where he's won 10 titles, Djokovic maintains optimism without delusion. "Sinner and Alcaraz are playing on a different level right now from everybody else. That's a fact," he acknowledged. "But that doesn't mean that nobody else has a chance."

His message to himself and other athletes facing similar transitions is clear: you can compete with everything you have while still celebrating those who surpass you.