Wilander makes Grand Slam titles prediction about Djokovic: what did he say?
The former Swedish player and Eurosport commentator reflected on Djokovic’s loss in the US Open and talked about his future.
Novak Djokovic accomplished one of the biggest challenges as a tennis player in August by winning the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
However, he has had one of the worst seasons as a professional, as the Serb couldn’t win any of the four Grand Slam titles, being outplayed by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, respectively.
The US Open was his last chance to lift a major title in 2024, but an in-form Alexei Popyrin got the better of him in four sets in the third round. At 37, Djokovic knows he won’t be around much longer, and he might have just a few more opportunities to win big trophies before retiring.
Will Djokovic win more majors? Wilander shares his opinion
The seven-time major champion Mats Wilander is one of the most respected tennis pundits and lived similar situations throughout his career.
While nobody expected the Belgrade native to lose to the Australian, Wilander stated that these kinds of defeats are part of the game.
“Defeats like this are a reminder that he is a human being. Of course, he would like to win everything, but he needs time to rest and prepare properly. He will return to his best form in Australia”, he said.
Wilander also added that at 37, fans shouldn’t be that surprised if ‘Nole’ has a bad day or doesn’t perform at his best.
“We must stop being surprised when he loses and appreciate that a man of his age keeps winning major tournaments as he deserves. It’s amazing what he has been doing throughout his career”.
“Physically, I don’t see him as older, and mentally, he seems more intelligent every day. I believe he will continue to play and win two more Grand Slam titles”, he predicted.
Djokovic will now have to work and get some positive results in his return after the US Open to make sure he will compete at the Nitto ATP Finals, as he hasn’t secured his spot in the event, which will be played in Turin in November.