Djokovic is no longer the youngest player on the tour. Whether fans admit it or not, age does make a difference and will affect whether he wins his 25th Grand Slam. Djokovic may have put in the most focused effort of his career, but time is unbeatable, and no one has been able to overcome it so far.

Djokovic will turn 38 in May, but despite this, he has already broken some Grand Slam records at this age that few players have been able to achieve. Especially in today's modern age of tennis, every player is using all the science available to them to strive to be the best version of themselves. However, there are also some issues that need to be addressed.

Looking back at his performances over the past year, 2024 marks the first time in many years that Djokovic has gone home empty-handed at a Grand Slam. Alcaraz won Wimbledon and the French Open, respectively, while Sinner won the Australian Open and the US Open.

So, what's wrong with Djokovic, the 10-time Australian Open champion? First, he lost to Sinner at the Australian Open and was injured at the French Open. He then lost to Alcaraz at Wimbledon and to Poplin at the US Open. The only title he won was an Olympic gold medal, which was also a best-of-three tournament. In addition, he also reached the final of the Shanghai Masters, also in a best-of-three format.

It's been more than a year since he last won a best-of-five event. Even at the Australian Open, he retired due to injury in the semi-finals and failed to finish the match against Zverev. So, have the years really caught up with him? This is undoubtedly a disadvantage for him. Winning a Grand Slam is not only a technical challenge, but also physically exertional, as players need to play seven matches in a row, most of which are very tough and physically demanding.

If his body can't support it, then it will be difficult for him to win the 25th Grand Slam. Djokovic has not won any Grand Slams since the 2023 US Open. It's not a short period of time for him, especially for the 38-year-old, it's a lot of change. Another problem is that Djokovic appears to be suffering from multiple physical problems. The 2025 Australian Open is the second time he has retired due to injury in less than a year, and this situation is clearly a negative trend.

On the other hand, we have to take into account the young and promising players of Sinner and Alcaraz. Sinner seems to handle it better against Djokovic than Alcaraz, but both youngsters have an advantage in age and stamina.

Although Djokovic played at a very high level against Alcaraz, Djokovic put a lot of energy and physical pressure on him to win against Alcaraz, which eventually led to an injury himself. It also means that it will be difficult for him to maintain his strength in two or three similar high-intensity matches in a row, which is the challenge he faces if he wants to win his 25th Grand Slam.

These problems don't go away as you get older. So if you ask him if he can win another Grand Slam, the answer is "yes", after all, technique is never an issue. Djokovic has been in excellent form at this year's Australian Open, sometimes even his best form in more than a year, but whether his body will be able to sustain him further and further on his record-winning Grand Slam quest is the biggest unknown.

Federer retired due to physical exhaustion, and Nadal also stopped playing due to physical reasons. Djokovic may also be able to stop ahead of his tennis skills due to his physical decline, which may be the reality we are witnessing. Time will tell, but judging by current trends, the problem is really worrying.(Source: Tennis Home Author: Spark)