Novak Djokovic is set to make his long-awaited return from injury at the Italian Open.
The Serbian superstar, a winner of 24 Grand Slam titles, has not played a competitive match since losing to Jack Draper in Indian Wells at the beginning of March.
Since then, Djokovic has withdrawn from events in Miami, Monte Carlo and Madrid, citing a right shoulder injury.
Novak Djokovic would be the undisputed GOAT if he won Grand Slam number 25 – could anyone argue otherwise?
Djokovic will hope for a return to form in Rome ahead of the French Open later this month.
At 39 years old, time is running out for Djokovic to win a 25th Grand Slam title – a feat that would put him one clear of Margaret Court’s total Grand Slam singles titles.
With that being said, which major event represents Djokovic’s best opportunity at Grand Slam glory?
Mark Petchey picks Wimbledon as the Grand Slam Novak Djokovic is most likely to win
“Novak is definitely hunting for that 25, and if anyone deserves it, it’s him, because he has gone against the greatest of all time in so many generations,” former world number nine Coco Vandeweghe said on the Big T Podcast.
“I think that’s not talked about, he came out at the prime of the Rafa/Roger rivalry, and then Andy for those years, Stan, Delpo, you name the names that are going to be ending in the hall of fame, Novak has faced them and beaten them.
“It’s hard not to say that you then want one of the greatest players of all time to have the ultimate record of 25.
“And you can’t say that he doesn’t still have it, but the toughest part is going up against that two-headed monster, dealing with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, in the two toughest rounds of a tournament, where not only are you facing people hopefully at their peak but also the most nerve-racking moments.
“For Novak Djokovic, you’ve got to think he’s not getting up for a first-round anymore, he’s getting up for the quarters on, that’s where the juices get flowing, the adrenaline gets going, and I’m sure that’s a conversation with himself.”
Mark Petchey, the former coach of Emma Raducanu, continued the discussion.
The Briton discussed Djokovic’s chances of winning the French Open after Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal, before predicting where the Serbian star is most likely to win a 25th Slam.
How worried are you about Carlos Alcaraz’s injury?
Carlos Alcaraz will miss Rome and Roland Garros…
He said: “I’m really interested in the buzz around it. I’m with you, I know in sport you kind of never deserve anything, you always have to earn it, but for me, if there is a time where somebody should deserve something, it‘s Novak for 25.
“I think what he’s given to the sport, particularly in the last part of his career, has been beyond anything we thought was possible.
“Clearly he thought it was possible, because he’s still achieving things that are incredible., I also wonder whether being in the mode of playing, competing here, going to Roland Garros, does he play the week before like he did last year? Maybe, it depends on how Rome goes.
“But I wonder whether he already has one eye on the grass, because this gets him back in competition mode. Then he gets back on the grass, does he have a better chance in his own mind?
Novak Djokovic’s Italian Open titles
- 2008 – defeated Stan Wawrinka in the final
- 2011 – defeated Rafael Nadal in the final
- 2014 – defeated Rafael Nadal in the final
- 2015 – defeated Roger Federer in the final
- 2020 – defeated Diego Schwartzman in the final
- 2022 – defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final
“Is Carlos even going to be fit enough with the wrist injury that he has to play Wimbledon? I’m fascinated to know what he kind of feels, in terms of, where is his best chance, does it lie at Roland Garros, does it lie at Wimbledon?
“Is this all a precursor to having another big run at SW19, so there are a lot of things at play. When I look at him and I look at the longevity of all the great sports people, they add an amplified amount at the back-end of their careers, to all the players still around.
“There are so many players, greats that left mid-rally, that you wish they could have just stayed on that little bit longer.
“Because I think it’s allowed the light to transfer to Carlos and Jannik in a very meaningful way, there are so many legacies that he will give, but I think that’s one of the greatest, the legitimacy of how great these two are, because he’s been amongst”
When asked which Slam Djokovic is most likely to win at this point in his career, Petchey said: “Wimbledon, I still think.”
Novak Djokovic’s record at Wimbledon
Djokovic won his first Wimbledon title in 2011, defeating Rafael Nadal 6–4, 6–1, 1–6, 6–3 in the final.
Three years later, the Serbian star won his second, again defeating Nadal in the championship showpiece.
Djokovic defeated Federer to win the 2015 title – his third in six years.
Two years passed before Djokovic won his fourth Wimbledon title. In 2017, the tennis legend comfortably defeated Kevin Anderson 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 in the final.
A year later, Djokovic won quite possibly the most dramatic Wimbledon final of his career.
At 7-8 in the fifth set, Djokovic saved two match points on Federer’s serve, before going on to win the match 7–6, 1–6, 7–6, 4–6, 13–12.
Two more titles followed in 2021 and 2022, making Djokovic the second most successful Wimbledon men’s singles player of all-time behind Roger Federer.
Federer has won eight Wimbledon titles, while Djokovic has won seven.
