Novak Djokovic capped off his 2025 season in Greece by winning the inaugural ATP 250 title in Athens, securing the 101st trophy of his legendary career. The 24-time Major champion defeated Lorenzo Musetti in the final to close out his campaign in style.
Shortly after lifting the title, Djokovic officially withdrew from the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. Despite being included in the initial draw, he confirmed that he will not compete at the season-ending event, ending days of speculation after he declined to address the topic ahead of the Athens final.
Djokovic pushes back on “highest level ever” claims
Never one to hold back on what he thinks, Djokovic was asked whether Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are playing tennis at a level higher than ever before. He declined the idea. He suggested that although SinCaraz deserves praise for what they bring to tennis, the Big 4 also deserve recognition for elevating not only their generation but the sport as a whole.
“I have never said that Jannik and Carlos are reaching a level of tennis never seen before, simply that they are better than others at the moment. We must appreciate highly what they are doing, but we must also respect recent legends like Rafa, Roger, Andy, and myself. Sinner and Alcaraz are the dominant force in today’s tennis, but let’s not forget where we come from. Hopefully, they can achieve our accomplishments by the end of their careers.”
Context behind Djokovic’s comments
Djokovic, who has faced Alcaraz and Sinner around ten times each near the end of his career, is a combined 9–10 against the two. Their matches have been highly competitive until very recently in 2025.
While cross-era comparisons make for fun barbershop conversations and help keep sports commentary lively, Djokovic has urged fans not to elevate one generation by diminishing another. And his claim does carry weight. Alcaraz and Sinner are still early in their rivalry, and their combined 10 Majors and 13 Masters 1000 titles remain far behind the Big 3 totals of 66 Majors and 104 Masters 1000 trophies.
Another factor missing in the SinCaraz dynamic is a third contender. The presence of a consistent third rival would add real intrigue to the tennis landscape by creating three marquee matchups instead of just one. Above all, one thing remains true: blowing out one generation of tennis’s candle will not make the others any brighter.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane – Imagn Images
