"He wasn’t afraid of Roger & Rafa, no reason to fear the new guys" - Tennis fans react to Novak Djokovic saying he's 'not afraid' of Next Gen players

Novak Djokovic revealed that he remains undaunted by the challenges posed by the younger generation of players like Stefanos Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune, among others.

Following his record 22nd Grand Slam win at the 2023 Australian Open, Djokovic returned to action at the Dubai Tennis Championships. After a shaky start against Tomas Machac in the first round, the Serb came back stronger against Tallon Griekspoor, winning in straight sets 6-2, 6-3.

In a post-match interview, the World No. 1 disclosed his confidence in facing a newer generation of players. He said that he was not afraid to take on the challenges the younger players would bring.

"The new generations are coming but I'm not afraid," he said.

Tennis fans supported the World No. 1's statement. One fan wrote that Djokovic sent a message to the other players on tour through his words. The fan added that the Serb was never afraid of facing the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and he had no reason to be afraid of the younger players on tour right now.

"Novak telling us things we already knew, but making sure THEY know. He wasn’t afraid of Roger & Rafa, no reason to fear the new guys," a fan stated.

Another fan chimed in that the Serbian represents both the past and the future of the sport.

"What is there to be afraid of? Novak Djokovic is the present and future," a tweet read.

Here are some more reactions to Djokovic's post-match interview:

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Novak Djokovic will face Hubert Hurkacz in Dubai Tennis Championships quarterfinals

The Serb at the Dubai Tennis Championships

Novak Djokovic is through to the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships. He expressed his happiness at his performance against Tallon Griekspoor after starting the tournament with a hard-fought win against Tomas Machac.

"[My level was] much closer to the best level tonight than it was yesterday. I probably didn’t expect to play that well tonight, considering last night’s match. But here we go, every day is a new day, a new opportunity, and I’m really glad that I played this well tonight," he said.

Hubert Hurkacz now awaits Djokovic in the Dubai Tennis Championships quarterfinals. The World No. 1 leads 4-0 in his head-to-head against Hurkacz.