The ongoing season brought a series of struggles for Novak Djokovic. Along with failing to attain even a single title so far on his journey, the Serb met some terrible setbacks and injuries, experiencing a fair share of hardships. However, despite the concerns, the wounded lion is consistently making efforts to beat the young competitors. While it is him against the ATP star in their early 20s, an NFL pro recently came forward to drop a surprising statement.

The debate surrounding Novak Djokovic’s ability to compete with young tennis stars is currently captivating the attention of fans and players alike. Among the open discussions, Dustin Fox, a former NFL cornerback turned businessperson and tennis enthusiast, came forward to drop his verdict on the topic as a guest on the Tennis Channel: Inside In-Podcast.

“I think Novak just rides this thing until he can’t because I mean he’ll still be really good you know and can still get in the heads. His mental game, like that dude I think can play to least 50 if he wanted to and he’d be able to beat the c**p out of these kids. I mean not like the Alcaraz of the world, but like you know some other. He’d still get to, you know, quarterfinals maybe, you know, late in his career,” Fox said, firmly believing in the strong levels that the Serb could rise up to.

Fox’s comments came just days after Novak Djokovic’s defeat against Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon finals. Alcaraz won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), and therefore claimed his second consecutive Wimbledon title. Although Djokovic saved three match points and broke Alcaraz’s serve for the first time while serving for the crown at 5-4 in the third, Alcaraz managed to rise up, finally winning the tiebreak.

Djokovic, who had to undergo knee surgery just over a month ago, admitted to the levels of his rival. “I wasn’t up to par. Credit to Carlos for playing some complete tennis. From the back of the court, on serve, he had it all today. I tried to push him and saved the three match points, extended the match a little bit, but it wasn’t meant to be really. He was an absolutely deserved winner today,” he said, in a post-match interview.

A majority of the players from Novak Djokovic’s peak era have either retired or are not actively participating. While the battle is currently being fought between the Serb and the young champs, Dustin Fox’s belief in Djokovic’s mental strength adds a dimension to the ongoing debate. Although there are people who still believe in the Serb’s potential to cover up, there are others who doubt his ability to stand in the competition.

Andy Roddick marks Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon campaign as “absurd”

The whole tennis community was surprised to see Novak Djokovic’s speedy recovery. The Serb incurred a meniscus tear during his run for the Roland Garros title and therefore had to retire with disappointment and immense pain. While his entry at Wimbledon was enough of a surprise, the fact that he made it to the finals seemed to be “absurd” for many.

“Surgery, no fitness, not a lot of tennis, no matches. Finals at Wimbledon. Gave yourself a look at the basket. Props to him. Novak had no reps, no fitness, all he was trying to do was get healthy enough to play his first round and then after that, healthy enough to play second round, so on and so forth,” Andy Roddick said in a podcast.

Along with gathering the drastic events that he had to go through, the former pro also dropped a conclusion, taking a hit at the fact that he even made it to the finals. “It is absurd that Novak was able to make the finals of this event,” the American added.

It is time for Novak Djokovic to step on the red dirt once again. While it was the same arena that gave him a major scare, will he be able to regain confidence?