Tennis great Mats Wilander thinks Novak Djokovic is making a mistake by publicly acknowledging the superiority of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Alcaraz and Sinner are ranked first and second and they have each secured four of the last Grand Slam titles since Djokovic won his most recent major at the 2023 US Open.
The dominant pair faced off in the finals at the last three Grand Slams, and they are heavy favourites to make it four in a row at the 2026 Australian Open.
Djokovic, the world No 4, is widely considered to be the third best player in men’s tennis behind Alcaraz and Sinner.
The 38-year-old Serb has repeatedly acknowledged the gap after Alcaraz and Sinner in recent months, including after his third round Australian Open win, when he admitted the duo are playing at a “different level” to everyone else.
The 24-time major champion did, though, assert at the start of his campaign in Melbourne that he still believes he “can beat anybody.”
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In his column for L’Equipe, former world No 1 Wilander expressed his surprise at Djokovic’s admissions about Alcaraz and Sinner.
“Of course, Novak Djokovic is a bit slower than before, but he still plays incredibly well,” said the seven-time Grand Slam winner.
“He serves just as effectively, his forehand is extremely powerful, and frankly, I can’t imagine him losing before the semi-finals, because it doesn’t matter who his opponent is, as long as their name isn’t Sinner or Alcaraz.
“Novak has a lot of confidence against all his potential opponents, except for those two.
“I’m surprised he keeps saying so often that they’re the best in the world and that they’re so much better than him. Whether it’s true or not, even if it’s kind of him, he shouldn’t say it.
“He’s probably trying to take the pressure off himself and make people forget that he’s still a contender for the biggest things.
“I don’t think it’s a strategy, though; it’s just his philosophy. He sees the world clearly; with him, it’s black or white.”
Djokovic will face world No 5 Lorenzo Musetti in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.
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The post Australian Open: Novak Djokovic told what he ‘shouldn’t say’ about Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner appeared first on Tennis365.
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