"Novak Djokovic's game shouldn't work" - Andrea Petkovic explains exactly how Serb defies logic to be an extraordinary player on grass

Andrea Petkovic called Novak Djokovic one of the best players on grass for his playing technique, as he treats the surface like any other, clay or hard courts. Djokovic was last seen in action at the French Open, making a disheartening semi-final exit after succumbing to Jannik Sinner.

Djokovic, the greatest tennis player with 24 Grand Slam titles, has ruled the court, the only man to be reigning champion of all majors across three different surfaces. He stands as the only men's singles player to achieve a Career Golden Masters, a triple Career Grand Slam, and all of the Big Titles. Considered one of the Big Three alongside Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, the Serb finished as the year-end top-ranked player a record eight times.

He was vying for his 25th major win at Roland Garros when he was upset by World No. 1 Sinner in the French Open semi-finals. Following that, he received acclaim from the German former tennis player Andrea Petkovic for his brilliance on the grass court.

The latter detailed the Serb's playing style and how his movements with bent knees give him the edge over other ace players.

"That’s why Novak Djokovic is one of the best when it comes to lawn tennis. On first glance, his game shouldn’t work as well but he moves on grass like he does on any other surface and that gives him the advantage over players like me who either slip every time the try to sprint or break a hip every time they try to change directions."

In May 2025, the 38-year-old defeated Hubert Hurkacz to take the Geneva Open title, his 100th ATP Tour title.

Novak Djokovic once opened up about how Roger Federer helped him be at his top form

Djokovic and Federer at the Championships - Wimbledon 2022 - (Source: Getty)

Djokovic is the only active player among his fellow luminaries, Nadal, Federer, and Andy Murray. Despite competing with fresh tennis stars, he clinched his first Olympic gold medal in singles at 37, entering the list of career Golden Slam achievers.

Having built one of the most extraordinary careers, the Serb credited the legendary Federer for inspiring him in more than one way, be it planning the schedule to managing the form, or taking desired breaks.

"Not everyone is cut out to compete at the top, and that’s normal. But there are ways. Federer helped me a lot in that regard, not directly but indirectly. I observed how he planned his schedule. He helped me understand how to manage my form, when to take a break, even if I didn’t want to. I also made mistakes. I didn’t take a break when I should have, but most of the time, I made the right decisions."

The 72-time Big Title winner will look to match the Swiss's record eight Wimbledon titles in the 2025 edition.