Miami – After two decades of professional tennis, 99 professional singles champions and 24 Grand Slam wins, Novak Djokovic has become a mystery – to tennis fans and himself. Both sides tried to answer the same questions, from matches, matches and tournaments to matches as his career went toward an unfamiliar ending.
Who is the greatest player in the modern era?
He was the player who played against Brotic Van de Zandschulp in the opening game of the BNP Paribas Open in India Wells, California two weeks ago? Or is he the top three opponents who have opened in Miami in the past five days, including Lorenzo Musetti from the 16th World of Italy?
Is he the greatest service player in the sport’s history a shadow of his usual self? Or is he the player who broke Musetti five times Tuesday night to win 6-2, 6-2?
As he approached his 38th birthday, he was the player stepping up the schedule because this was his last spin around the Tennis Universal? Or is he the player he described to the Miami crowd and told them: “You will see me for a few years.”
When it comes to the subject of Novak Djokovic, Djokovic is like everyone else: always looking for signals in the noise, looking for data about himself and his tennis, which will allow him to separate the important things from the unimportant things. At present, there is both too much data and not enough data to figure out what djokovic is in 2025. With only 14 games over the years this season, he has become an international mystery in the sport – definitely not what he used to be and is looking for the answer he will be looking for.
“I do hope and hope that Novak you will meet tonight and then I work hard not to play Novak in India Wells,” Djokovic said at the end of the game with reporters. “The continuity or consistency of tennis levels is more challenging for me now than it was a few years ago or 10 years ago, and I know that.
“It’s definitely not because I still retain my dedication because I’m still there.
Djokovic passed a general misunderstanding of what happened to elite athletes as they fell from peaks. The pointed heads remain sharp and accessible for a brief moment, even if they need them the most: Djokovic found his otherworldly gold medal at last year’s Paris Olympics. This is the stability of erosion, i.e. the necessary repetition of maintaining excellence.
Djokovic’s biggest win this year was at the Australian Open, where he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals, a series of wins that included a serious decline at his level, during which young and inexperienced opponents found ways to hurt him but were unable to complete his injury.
The amazing victory is also one of the strangest tennis matches in memory. Djokovic suffered a muscle tear in the first set, but somehow managed to win four games due to a rupture of painkillers, adrenaline and inexplicable Alcaraz. The Spaniard succumbed to the pressure of playing Djokovic and thought more about his opponent’s tennis and physical condition than he thought about himself.
Three days later, Djokovic had to retire in the semifinal against Alexander Zverev at the end of the first set due to a muscle injury. When he arrived in Florida, he had not won a match since defeating Alcalaz in Melbourne that January night.
In Miami, he won with 24-year-old Australian Rinky Hijikata, who competed in 13 Grand Slams, while Djokovic won more than half of the Grand Slam title. He then beat Camilo Ugo Carabelli, 25, who never won a Grand Slam.
Both games opened with a blowout, ending with Djokovic winning a tiebreak. It’s one of the most familiar patterns in Djokovic’s game over the years, just inverted: relax everything tightly before accelerating to a win that starts with a quick start, then fade away.
Djokovic was relieved at the opening ceremony at the Miami Open. (Geoff Burke/Imagn image)
Then there is Musetti. On paper, he looked like a legitimate threat. On the court, Djokovic looked up and saw Serena Williams sitting in the stands. He looked at the box and saw retired Grand Slam champion Andy Murray and Juan Martin Del Potro. One of his coach; the other of his good friend. All these famous figures have made him some star and nervous performances, especially in front of Williams, the greatest female player of all time.
Musetti’s elegant full-game game is suitable for grass, clay and slow hard courts, but he still dies in a fast situation. In the game of the best hard training player in the sport’s history, he broke the game in the first game and was shocked by a 2-0 lead. Djokovic thought he wouldn’t be in such a match and won the next nine games to seize control. Musetti showed as much resistance as the swing gate.
On Wednesday night, Djokovic will face a thousand young man Sebastian Korda, who seems to be declaring his storm. Korda, 24, is still trying to find her way after a few years of wrist injury. He received treatment on his wrist in 16 rounds of the win over Gael Monfils on Tuesday.
Djokovic won the only once-conference in Adelaide, Australia two years ago. He may get more data about their showdown and Wednesday’s own, but it’s unclear how Corda will give him his needs. Djokovic at least has no doubt about his needs: in an era where even the youngest players have the highest level of attitude at the highest level, he is not well-known.
“The fitness and recovery, as well as the overall approach to physical and mental aspects have been made so much better,” he said in Miami.
“Now, every player in the world’s top 30 has a complete team of three and four people who care for them, their bodies and everything, and therefore reflected in the courtroom. That’s why the career has been extended now.”
He said when he started his career, players began counting their days at the age of 30. Now, it’s more like 35, maybe more.
“Of course, I’m in that group. I won’t be young, but my body and tennis are still feeling good.”
This may be that data points are more important than all other data.
(Top photo: Al Bello / Getty Images)
