At 38, Novak Djokovic is still in the game, even if you rarely see him on court these days. He’s poured everything into chasing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam, coming incredibly close at this year’s Australian Open. That run made a lot of people think he still has what it takes to battle the best. Ana Ivanovic, who’s always supported him, even called it; she says he can absolutely grab a major title number 25.

Of course, injuries have started creeping in as his body slows down, and Djokovic hasn’t been able to play as often as he wants. This year, he’s only shown up at two tournaments: the Australian Open and Indian Wells.

His last ATP match before that was in November, at the Hellenic Championship. After such a long break, some doubted whether he could still go toe-to-toe with the world’s top players. But in Melbourne, luck was on his side. That five-set battle with Jannik Sinner, who’d won the title the past two years, showed Djokovic can still be a serious threat when he’s on.

He did stumble in the final against Carlos Alcaraz, though. Djokovic took the first set, but the young Spaniard stormed back and took the trophy. That was his first Grand Slam final since Wimbledon in 2024; it snapped a streak of five majors where he hadn’t made a final, something he hadn’t experienced since 2016 to 2018.

Last year, Djokovic made it to the semis at all four Slams. He retired against Alexander Zverev in Australia, right after stunning the tennis world by knocking out Alcaraz. Later, in the US Open semis, Zverev got the best of him again, and at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, Sinner ended his run in the last four.

Djokovic still has what it takes to win.

His absolute prime may be behind him, but Djokovic and those around him still believe he can pull off more major wins. Ivanovic, who has known him since they were kids, spoke with real admiration about his career and what he means to Serbia.

“It’s really incredible what he’s achieved,” she told Eurosport. “We’ve been friends for a long time. It’s inspiring to see, and it means a lot for Serbia and the next generation.”

She’s convinced Djokovic isn’t finished. “I definitely think he can win another Grand Slam. His game is still at a really high level; he goes toe-to-toe with the best. If you look at his recent Grand Slams, he’s been in the semis and finals; he’s right there. His career is just amazing and not easy to match.”

Next up, he gets another shot at history at Roland Garros. Despite a shoulder injury that’s kept him out since Indian Wells, he’ll be one of the top picks for the tournament. With Alcaraz out, Sinner is the favourite, but Djokovic has won the French Open three times and knows how to get it done.

This could be one of Djokovic's best shots at another Grand Slam, especially with Alcaraz missing. He’ll likely come into the tournament ranked fourth in the world, so he might only have to beat Sinner, maybe in the semis or the final. That’s a lighter path compared to past majors, where he had to face both the number one and the number two players.

Honestly, nobody knows if he’ll play any warm-up tournaments before Roland Garros. His Rome Open entry is still a question mark, and he might choose the Geneva Open, like last year, when he snagged his 100th ATP title. Whatever he decides, getting fully healthy for the French Open is his top priority.

Carlos Alcaraz and his team aren’t sharing a lot about his wrist injury, but word is that it’s pretty serious. If he doesn’t deal with it now, it could mess up his future in the sport.

Earlier this month, Alcaraz pulled out of the Barcelona Open because he felt something was wrong in his wrist. He didn’t wait around; he announced he’d skip the rest of the clay season and sit out the French Open, which really tells you how bad things are.

There’s talk in Spain that he might not be ready for Wimbledon either. Some are saying it’s tenosynovitis, the same injury that hit Rafael Nadal when he was at his peak. Tennis does a number on the wrists, and this kind of injury doesn’t just go away; you have to rest it, and even then, it can pop back up if you start playing too soon.

The best thing for Alcaraz now is probably just to take it easy. If he keeps pushing with a damaged tendon, he risks tearing it, and that’s not something you bounce back from quickly.

Lots of people in tennis have been reaching out, offering advice. Greg Rusedski, the former British No. 1, wants Alcaraz to think about the long haul instead of rushing back for the grass season.

“He’s already done so much – seven majors, all four Slams – and he’s only 22,” Rusedski said on his podcast. “His team’s been smart, not putting pressure on him. He wants to get ready for Wimbledon, especially after losing that tough final to Sinner last year.”

Rusedski admits it’s unsettling that Alcaraz is missing Paris, which means four and a half weeks off with the injury. “Is three weeks enough to prep for Wimbledon after that?” he wonders. “Hopefully he’ll be ready for the grass season, but things are really up in the air.”

He also points out that grass courts are a bit easier on the body than clay, with shorter rallies. But weather conditions could change things; hot days make the ball fly faster, cooler days slow it down. Alcaraz will only come back if he’s totally fit. Rusedski hopes that happens.

“He needs to focus on the bigger picture. He’s got his whole career ahead of him, and a wrist injury now could haunt him, just like it did Juan Martin del Potro, who never came back the same.”

Alcaraz is just 22, but the choices he makes in the next few weeks could shape his entire career. Wrist problems are every tennis player’s nightmare.