“Once they know they can beat Novak Djokovic, they’re not going to revert” – Andy Roddick on Serb against the newer … – Sportskeeda
Former tennis star Andy Roddick recently stated that the newer generation of players won’t hold themselves back against Novak Djokovic once they figure a way out to beat him consistently.
Djokovic most recently lost to 22-year-old Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of the Australian Open 2024. This was his first defeat Down Under since the year 2018. In 2023, he fell short against 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in the final of Wimbledon.
Roddick, who played against Djokovic nine times between 2007 and 2012, sat down with tennis journalist Jon Wertheim in an episode of the Served With Andy Roddick podcast and talked about the Serb’s performance at the Happy Slam. He said (22:07 to 23:15):
“He kind of limped out of this tournament [Australian Open] a little bit, you know, through no fault of his own, the guy’s been better than anyone on Earth, and it’s gonna happen.
“But I’m a little concerned one, he’s not getting younger when it turns, it turns quickly also, he has guys that can punch him in the mouth, you know, he has this new generation that once they know they can beat him, they’re not going to revert to the, you know, the mentality that there’s no way to beat.”
Wertheim asked Roddick whether it was just a bad day in the office for the Serb against Sinner in the semifinal or if it was the beginning of his downfall. The American replied:
“Well, I think it’s going to be about the mental gymnastics and how those play out. Like I for 10 years haven’t been concerned about Novak playing Indian Wells or Miami or whichever hardcourt event he’s gonna play next.
“Like, it’s just not as important as the Slams and he’s been able to show up to the Slams and play well and get results. I’m very interested to see how he comes out of the gates in an Indian Wells or a Miami and kind of the pressure and the defeat on a massive level.”
Novak Djokovic told me losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final was energizing: Tennis journalist Jon Wertheim
Novak Djokovic talked in detail about his mindset after losing the 2023 Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz.
“I talked to him about Wimbledon at some length, when I saw him in November and he sort of said, ‘Look, do I wish I’d won Wimbledon, that I had lost to Alcaraz? Yeah. But in a weird way, it was really energizing and I wanted to go to Cincinnati and not lose, and I didn’t. And then I wanted to go reclaim my throne and this is my court at the US Open’. And he did,” Wertheim said (at 23:17)/
Djokovic avenged his Wimbledon loss to Alcaraz in the summit clash of the 2023 Cincinnati Masters. He staged a spirited comeback against the Spaniard and won the match 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4). Furthermore, he carried the momentum with him to New York and reigned supreme at the 2023 US Open for his 24th Grand Slam title.
