Djokovic dismisses 'now or never' mindset in pursuit of 25th Slam

(Reuters) – If Novak Djokovic is feeling any pressure to win a record 25th Grand Slam at the Australian Open, the 38-year-old Serbian star certainly isn't showing it.

Djokovic has been stuck on 24 major victories since winning the 2023 US Open, with young stars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner combining to win the last eight Grand Slam events.

Djokovic is quite aware he's no longer the face of men's tennis, but it's not as if he is fading into the background. Last year, he reached the semifinals in all four majors.

"We don't need to praise them too much," a smiling Djokovic told the media on Saturday, the eve of the first major of 2026. "They have been praised enough! We know how good they are, and they absolutely deserve to be where they are. They are the dominant forces of men's tennis at the moment."

As one of the grizzled veterans on the ATP circuit, Djokovic is more interested in reflecting on his career achievements rather than all the chatter around him potentially setting the all-time record for Grand Slam titles.

"There has been a lot of talk about the 25th, but I try to focus myself on what I have achieved, not what I'm possibly achieving," the fourth-seeded Djokovic said. "I hope it comes to that (winning 25), but 24 is also not a bad number. I have to appreciate that and remind myself of the amazing career I had."

Djokovic has a record 10 titles at the Australian Open, and begins his pursuit of No. 11 on Monday night against Spain's Pedro Martinez at Rod Laver Arena. If he does win the title in Melbourne, he will become the oldest Grand Slam men's champion in the Open Era. Ken Rosewall of Australia was 37 when he won the 1972 Aussie Open.

"I don't think it's needed for me to really go far in terms of make-it-or-break-it or a now-or-never type of mentality," Djokovic said. "Neither does that allow me to excel and perform my best."