NOVAK DJOKOVIC LANDS IN ATHENS AFTER HISTORIC AUSTRALIAN OPEN RUNNER-UP FINISH
After a historic loss to Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic returns to his family in Athens to reset for the 2026 tennis season.
After losing his first Australian Open final to Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic just wanted to see his family.
Djokovic landed in Athens on Tuesday, wrapping up two weeks away from home and marking his 38th appearance in a major final.
For the first time ever, Novak walked away from Rod Laver Arena with the runner-up trophy. At 36, he became the oldest finalist in Australian Open history, but Alcaraz stopped him in four sets: 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5. The match lasted just over three hours.
This was Djokovic's first tournament in more than two months, and even so, he showed why people call him a legend. He cruised through the first three rounds and reached the last 16 without much fuss.
In the fourth round, Jakub Mensik had to pull out with an abdominal injury, so Novak got a walkover and saved some energy for the big matches ahead. But things nearly fell apart a few days later. Lorenzo Musetti took the first two sets in their quarterfinal, and for a moment, Djokovic looked like he might be headed home early. Then, out of nowhere, Musetti retired in the third set, and suddenly Novak was through to his 13th Australian Open semi-final.
Next up was Jannik Sinner, the two-time defending champ. Djokovic had to dig deep. Twice he came back from a set down and eventually won 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 after more than four hours on court. He fought off 16 out of 18 break points and weathered over 70 winners from Sinner, proving that belief really does go a long way. At 36, he marched into his 38th major final.
Djokovic left everything on court against Alcaraz. He started strong, but the Spaniard found his rhythm and took control in the second and third sets, racking up five breaks. In the fourth, Novak saved six break points early on and kept pace, even earning a break chance at 4-all. Then he missed a forehand he’d usually make, and just like that, his shot at a fifth set slipped away.
Alcaraz broke late in the set and sealed the win, handing Djokovic his first-ever loss in an Australian Open final. Now, Novak’s taking some time off to be with his family. He’s expected back on court soon, probably in Doha, but right now, only he knows how his schedule will look.
THE "NEW 2" TRICK: WHAT CARLOS ALCARAZ AND JANNIK SINNER PICKED UP FROM STUDYING FEDERER’S LATE CAREER
Jim Courier claims Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner could go head-to-head with the Big 4. Read the full tactical analysis here.
Jim Courier doesn’t see any real flaws in Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz. In fact, he’s convinced these two could have gone toe-to-toe with the legendary ‘Big 4’.
Right now, Alcaraz is the world No. 1, Sinner sits just behind him at No. 2, and they’ve basically taken over men’s tennis. Nobody else is even close in the ATP Rankings.
Between them, they’ve snagged the last nine Grand Slam singles trophies. If they win just two more, they’ll match Federer and Nadal’s record of 11 straight majors as a duo.
Alcaraz already has seven Grand Slam singles titles and has racked up 58 weeks (and counting) as world No. 1. He just completed the Career Grand Slam after his win at the Australian Open.
Sinner spent 66 weeks at the top himself and owns four Grand Slam titles. He’s got a shot to complete his own career Grand Slam at the French Open this spring.
These two have jumped straight into the spotlight after the era of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray—the ‘Big 4’ who once ruled the sport.
On the Tennis Insider Club podcast, Courier called Sinner and Alcaraz the ‘New 2’ and said they’d absolutely have been able to challenge those legends.
“Look at the last year and a half—they’ve won everything,” Courier said. “They can handle any surface, they’re both young, and they move like nobody else.”
He added, “Honestly, I think they would’ve gone head-to-head with the Big Four. They probably studied those guys and picked up all their tricks. Jannik’s game and movement remind me a lot of Novak. Carlos? He’s just unique. He’s taken the best bits from everyone.”
Right now, Alcaraz and Sinner are way ahead of the rest of the ATP field. Even 38-year-old Djokovic is probably the only one who looks like he could give them trouble.
People keep asking when someone else from their generation will finally catch up. Names like Ben Shelton, Jack Draper, and Joao Fonseca get thrown around as future contenders, but honestly, nobody’s really come close. The gap’s only getting wider.
Courier went on to say that what sets Sinner and Alcaraz apart is their total lack of weaknesses.
“There was a time when top players had holes in their games. Not anymore. Sinner and Alcaraz? No weak spots,” he said.
“That changes everything. Technique matters more than ever. The game’s so fast now, you have to attack from everywhere. That’s pretty new.
“Even Rafa eventually erased his weaknesses. Roger switched rackets late in his career, and suddenly his backhand turned into a weapon—especially against Rafa.
“In my day, even Pete Sampras had a safe side to attack—his backhand. But with these guys, there’s nowhere to hide. You’re never comfortable.”
After their runs at the Australian Open, both Alcaraz and Sinner are set to play again at the Qatar Open next week.
EMMA RADUCANU RETIRES: BRITISH STAR WITHDRAWS FROM QATAR OPEN FOLLOWING BLOOD PRESSURE CHECK
Emma Raducanu’s Qatar Open debut ends in heartbreak. Discover why the British No. 1 retired after a mid-match medical timeout.
Emma Raducanu had to retire from her opening match at the Qatar Open because she was feeling unwell and needed her blood pressure checked right there on the court.
She’d hoped to bounce back after losing her first final since 2021 just two days earlier, squaring off against Camila Osorio. Raducanu started strong—she came out fast, grabbed the first set 6-2 in just 37 minutes, and really looked in control. But her energy started to fade, and Osorio took advantage in the second set. Raducanu’s serve slipped midway through, and Osorio pulled out a 6-4 win, pushing the match into a decider.
Before the third set, Raducanu took a long bathroom break, but it didn’t help much. She lost her serve right away, called for the physio, and had her blood pressure checked—something she’s needed before. She got through one more Osorio service game, but it was an easy hold for the Colombian. After that, Raducanu walked to the net, head down, and her Qatar Open was over. The score read 2-6, 6-4, 2-0 to Osorio.
It’s been a tough stretch. Just two days earlier, Raducanu lost in the Transylvania Open final to Sorana Cirstea, 6-0, 6-2, after a gruelling three-hour semifinal win. She told BBC Sport afterward that she’d been fighting a chest infection and just felt wiped out from the start. Still, she said she’d rather be in the final—even tired—than not have played at all.
This marks the ninth time Raducanu’s had to retire from a WTA Tour match. The last time was only four months ago, in Wuhan. Even so, she’d been showing better endurance lately. She’s made some changes behind the scenes as well, bringing in Emma Stewart, formerly of British Rowing, to replace her fitness trainer, Yutaka Nakamura. She also split with coach Francisco Roig, who used to work with Rafael Nadal, back in January.