"Novak Djokovic is not here anymore" - Patrick Mouratoglou believes Serb has lost 'GOAT' drive after Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal's retirement

Roger Federer (left), Novak Djokovic (center), Rafael Nadal (right), Patrick Mouratoglou (bottom inset), Sources: Getty
Roger Federer (left), Novak Djokovic (center), Rafael Nadal (right), Patrick Mouratoglou (bottom inset), Sources: Getty

Patrick Mouratoglou recently shared his thoughts on Novak Djokovic, who, even at the age of 38, continues to remain active despite limited success over the last two years. According to Mouratoglou, the Serb is failing to find the motivation that once aided him in surpassing several records set by his now-retired rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

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In a recent video he shared via Instagram, the iconic French coach acknowledged the former No. 1 and 24-time Major champion's stellar achievements. However, he also questioned how motivated the Serb is these days when it comes to giving it his all for the biggest titles in men's tennis. With the exception of his heroics at last year's Paris Olympics and the 2025 Geneva Open title, Djokovic hasn't won anything since the start of the 2024 season.

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"He (Djokovic) achieved everything. So I feel that something broke the motivation, the drive that made him as the greatest of all time. He's not here anymore. How long is he going to stay in that position? I don't think long," Mouratoglou said.

It's worth noting that despite his limited title triumphs since the beginning of the 2024 tennis season, the Serb has made deep runs at several Majors. This year, he reached the semis of all four Slams, but in three of them, he fell to either Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner, the most dominant players in contemporary men's tennis.

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Mouratoglou went on to opine that Novak Djokovic is possibly extending his tennis-playing career because of his desire to establish a deep connection with fans that wasn't possible for him when Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were active.

"I think he still likes to be there because I think he probably wants to find a great connection with the fans, which he starts to have. It was difficult while Rafa and Roger were at the top, because they had such a strong connection that it was depriving him from having that position and that connection," he added.
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The French coach, who most notably guided Serena Williams to 10 of her 23 singles Slam titles, concluded by saying that the Serb's "drive" these days is drastically different compared to what it used to be.

"Definitely the drive doesn't look like what it was before. It's a different drive, but it's not a drive that brings the results that he could have before, and it makes sense, and I understand, but he's not producing the results he used to have," the 55-year-old concluded.
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Novak Djokovic to feature at Shanghai Masters 2025 next; Serb appeared resigned after US Open SF heartbreak

Novak Djokovic (left) shakes hands with Carlos Alcaraz (right) after losing to the Spaniard in the men's singles semifinals at the 2025 US Open (Source: Getty)
Novak Djokovic (left) shakes hands with Carlos Alcaraz (right) after losing to the Spaniard in the men's singles semifinals at the 2025 US Open (Source: Getty)

At this year's US Open, Novak Djokovic made it to the semis, where he clashed against eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz. The Serb tried his best to keep pace with the relentless Spaniard, but ultimately it wasn't enough, as he looked well off the pace during the decisive third set.

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After the heartbreaking result, the 24-time Major champion suggested that getting past the likes of Alcaraz and Sinner may not be possible for him at the Slams going forward considering the incredible level of physicality that the Spaniard and the Italian bring to the court. However, he insisted that he wants to keep challenging for the Majors.

The Serb's next competitive outing is set to come at the 2025 Shanghai Masters, where he finds himself in Sinner's half of the draw.

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Edited by Sudipto Pati
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