"I was in those shoes with Federer & Nadal" - Novak Djokovic explains why he wants a new star to challenge Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner's dominance

As he gears up for the US Open, Novak Djokovic recently reflected on Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s rivalry and dominance. The Serb heaped praise on the two ATP stars, while highlighting why he was hoping to see a third player challenge their duopoly on the ATP Tour.

Sinner and Alcaraz are undoubtedly the two biggest names in the men's singles event at the moment. Between the two of them, the pair have won eight of the last nine Grand Slam events, including the three Majors that have taken place this year.

Reflecting on their rivalry during his press conference at the US Open, Novak Djokovic said,

“What they have done in the previous two years is remarkable for both of these players. I think their rivalry is, without a doubt, the best one we have in the moment. And it looks like it’s going to stay like that for some time.”

The 38-year-old then went on to explain why he hopes a third player can challenge Sinner and Alcaraz, reminiscing about his own breakthrough in the era of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

"And then you have obviously other young players that are definitely going to challenge them, and hopefully somebody can get in the mix. You know, [Holger] Rune was there, and he kind of goes up and down. [Joao] Fonseca. There are players that are able to have that Djoker spot, the third spot. I kind of empathize with the third guy, because I was in those shoes with Federer and Nadal. I want to see a third guy coming in.”

At the moment, Djokovic remains the most recent player other than Sinner and Alcaraz to have won a Grand Slam title, a feat he'll be hoping to replicate in the coming weeks.

Novak Djokovic to take on Learner Tien in US Open first round

Djokovic practicing at the 2025 US Open (Image Source: Getty)

In the men's singles event, Novak Djokovic was last in action on the tennis courts at the Wimbledon Championships. While in England, he made it to the semifinals before going down to Jannik Sinner. Since then, the Serb has taken a brief break from the sport, skipping the first few tournaments of the hard court season, including the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open.

Now, Novak Djokovic is scheduled to return to action at the US Open. For his first-round match at the Major, the 38-year-old will be taking on young sensation Learner Tien. The American teen has notched several big wins this year, beating the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, and Ben Shelton.