{"id":2047901,"date":"2026-07-17T09:15:33","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T06:15:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2047901"},"modified":"2026-07-17T09:15:33","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T06:15:33","slug":"novak-djokovic-now-understands-the-dream-of-the-25th-grand-slam-might-not-become-a-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2047901","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Novak Djokovic now understands the dream of the 25th Grand Slam might not become a reality&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"ps-article-content rounded-lg lg:mt-5 lg:border lg:border-card lg:bg-card lg:shadow-primary\">\n<header>\n<h1 class=\"py-4 text-xl font-normal text-title sm:text-2xl\">\u2018Novak Djokovic now understands the dream of the 25th Grand Slam might not become a reality\u2019<\/h1>\n<div class=\"my-2 flex items-center justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/author\/richie-mills\" class=\"text-sm font-normal !text-author\"><br \/>\n                            Richie Mills                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <time class=\"ml-3 text-sm font-normal text-info md:ml-4\" datetime=\"17 Jul 2026 10:15 AM\" data-ps-date=\"17 Jul 2026 10:15 AM\" data-ps-datetime=\"1784279733\"><br \/>\n                            17 Jul 2026 10:15 AM                        <\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden justify-end space-x-4 text-xl sm:flex sm:!opacity-100\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on 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             <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"sm:hidden flex items-center space-x-5\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 dark:hidden h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_light.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <button id=\"t365-article-share-btn-hidden\" class=\"mr-2 hidden h-6 w-6 appearance-none border-none !text-share-icon outline-none hover:!text-share-icon-active sm:hidden\" data-title=\"\u2018Novak Djokovic now understands the dream of the 25th Grand Slam might not become a reality\u2019\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5 border-b border-page\"><\/div>\n<section>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5\">\n<figure class=\"aspect-h-9 aspect-w-16 relative\">\n                                        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover object-center !my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/d2me2qg8dfiw8u.cloudfront.net\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3F0D9A3-1-1320x742.jpg\" alt=\"Pictured: Novak Djokovic looks bemused at Wimbledon during his match with Felix Auger-Aliassime\">                <\/figure><figcaption class=\"flex items-center space-x-3 border-b border-mobile-caption px-3 lg:border-caption\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-1.5 break-words !text-xs !text-content\">\n                                Novak Djokovic looks bemused at Wimbledon during his match with Felix Auger-Aliassime                            <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"ciam-article-t365\"><!-- Article Start --><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/novak-djokovic\">Novak Djokovic<\/a> now realises that winning a 25th Grand Slam may be beyond his reach \u2013 but that doesn\u2019t mean he cannot savour certain moments.<\/p>\n<p>That is according to esteemed tennis historian and journalist Steve Flink, who admits that he is still astounded by how well the 39-year-old is competing at the top of the game.<\/p>\n<p>Since the start of 2025, Djokovic has reached five major semi-finals and one final, with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz \u2013 more often than not \u2013 proving a step too far for him at the business end of the biggest tournaments.<\/p>\n<p>While it has been nearly three years since the Serbian last won a Grand Slam, the veteran is still more than capable of pulling off magical wins. For instance, he beat <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/jannik-sinner\">Sinner<\/a> in five sets in the 2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/australian-open\">Australian Open<\/a> semi-final, upset Alcaraz in four sets at the same tournament the year prior, and at this year\u2019s Wimbledon, he outlasted Felix Auger-Aliassime in a five-hour epic.<\/p>\n<p>The fact that he is going toe-to-toe with players who are 10-15 years younger than him shows the mark of the man. However, the chance to add to his 24 majors may be slipping away.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>More Tennis News<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/players-give-up-facing-jannik-sinner-carlos-alcaraz-me-too-admits-atp-star\">ATP star admits he and other players \u2018give up when facing Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/emma-raducanu-lifestyle-change-advice-greg-rusedski\">Former British No 1 with some candid advice for Emma Raducanu<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/novak-djokovic\">Djokovic<\/a>\u2018s quarter-final win over the Canadian at SW19, Flink said on <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_B1a1GiNYlU\" target=\"_blank\">Gill Gross\u2019 YouTube channel<\/a>, \u201d I thought it was just spectacular and you could tell how much it meant to him in his post-match remarks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe is kind of going along with your theory. He is going to treasure these moments. And somehow he is understanding that the dream of the 25th might not become a reality now.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s more and more apparent but I think what he is saying to himself, \u2018I am going to give it everything I have got to make it happen but if it doesn\u2019t I am going to at least make sure that I have some matches along the way that I will remember for the rest of my life and that my kids and wife can see\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo still see me near the top of my game and still be, as he put it, beating other top players. It\u2019s astounding when you think about it, when he\u2019s giving away 15 years against these guys in their mid 20s, and he\u2019s 39. And he\u2019s doing it without the benefit of a return that is as good as it once was.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Following Djokovic\u2019s straight set loss to Sinner in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/wimbledon\">Wimbledon<\/a> semi-finals, the all-time great made an interesting revelation about his return prowess. He admitted that he \u201cwas\u201d the best returner but that is no longer the case.<\/p>\n<p>That honour may go to world No 1 Sinner but while Flink believes that Djokovic\u2019s reactions on the return are not as good, his serves are \u201cmore precise than ever\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>In Australia he beat Sinner before succumbing to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/carlos-alcaraz\">Alcaraz<\/a>, who has been out with a wrist injury since mid-April. Djokovic may only need to go through one of them, or none as was the case with Alexander Zverev\u2019s French Open win, to lift another major.<\/p>\n<p>But Father Time is undefeated. Not even Djokovic can run from that cruel mistress. But one thing is certain, never write this man off.<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/nick-kyrgios-drops-hint-future-last-wimbledon-joao-fonseca-prediction\">Nick Kyrgios makes bold Joao Fonseca prediction despite Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz dominance<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!-- Article End --><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2018Novak Djokovic now understands the dream of the 25th Grand Slam might not become a reality\u2019 Richie Mills 17 Jul 2026 10:15 AM Novak Djokovic looks bemused at Wimbledon during his match with Felix Auger-Aliassime Novak Djokovic now realises that winning a 25th Grand Slam may be beyond his reach \u2013 but that doesn\u2019t mean [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,249],"class_list":["post-2047901","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tennis365-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2047901","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2047901"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2047901\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2047901"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2047901"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2047901"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}