"Novak Djokovic has been a dream killer for many years... Carlos Alcaraz & Holger Rune don't have that scar tissue" - Jim Courier

Former World No. 1 Jim Courier recently spoke about the prospect of the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune challenging Novak Djokovic.

Djokovic has shown no signs of slowing down despite having turned 36. He enjoyed a sensational 2023 season, during which he won three Grand Slams, the ATP Finals and two Masters 1000 titles.

Jim Courier, who featured on Netflix's Break Point, said in the recently-released second season of the docuseries that Djokovic had been a "dream killer" for several years, ending many players' Grand Slam hopes.

"Novak has been a dream killer for many, many years. There's many prospective champions who dreamed of Grand Slam glory and been denied by him," the former World No. 1 said.

Courier also said the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune were more optimistic as they hadn't been beaten by Djokovic as many times, and were "gunning for the Serb's job."

"Then you get players like Alcaraz and Rune, they don't have that scar tissue. They're coming in optimistic, vigorous, excited. But there is no mercy out there. These young players, make no mistake, they're gunning for your job," Courier said on Break Point.

Novak Djokovic has positive head-to-head records against both Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune

Novak Djokovic practicing ahead of the Australian Open

Novak Djokovic has faced both Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune five times each, leading 3-2 against both.

The Serb's first meeting against Alcaraz came in the semifinals of the 2022 Madrid Open, with the Spaniard winning in three sets. They locked horns four times in 2023, the first of those coming in the semifinals of the French Open, which Djokovic won in four sets.

Alcaraz went on to beat the Serb in a thrilling Wimbledon final. Djokovic then won his next two matches against the 20-year-old. He triumphed in three sets in the final of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati before registering a straight-set win in the semifinals of the ATP Finals in Turin.

Djokovic's first encounter against Holger Rune came in the first round of the 2021 US Open, where the Serb came out on top in four sets. However, Rune triumphed in three sets in the second meeting between the two, in the final of the 2022 Paris Masters.

The Dane then defeated the Serb in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open in 2023 before the latter won in the last eight of the Paris Masters and the round-robin at the ATP Finals.