For a player who’s amassed 24 Grand Slam titles and redefined tennis over the past decade, Novak Djokovic’s 2024 season was surprisingly quiet on the major titles front. But in true champion fashion, Djokovic clinched the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, marking the final milestone he had yet to achieve. However, this was the least profitable year for the Serb in ten years. While many might expect Djokovic to slow down going ahead, the competition is only heating up, and the next generation of players are making it clear that Novak’s reign isn’t guaranteed for much longer. Here’s one player that Serena Williams’ ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou thinks will give Djokovic a tough challenge next season.

On December 12, Patrick Mouratoglou in his video series ‘The Eye of the Coach‘ discussed Novak Djokovic’s biggest challenges ahead in 2025. He said, “It might be harder for Novak to beat Sinner than Alcaraz because Jannik doesn’t give anything away. Sinner has the same skills as Novak, he covers the court very well, he doesn’t miss anything and he takes the ball earlier than Novak. So Novak will have to get back into incredible form to dominate Sinner. I’m not saying it’s easy to beat Alcaraz, it’s not.”

Novak Djokovic is the last man standing from the Big Three, a group that has dominated men’s tennis for nearly two decades. Throughout his career, Nole has been at the center of intense rivalries, and this has continued with the new generation. His rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz has already been marked by high-intensity matches. Djokovic and Alcaraz have faced off 7 times, with the former leading 4-3. The Serb maestro was beaten by Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final this year, but he avenged himself at the Paris Olympics by besting Carlitos for the gold medal.

Djokovic’s rivalry with Jannik Sinner has been even more fierce, as Patrick Mouratoglou pointed out. They have met 8 times and are currently tied 4-4 in their head-to-head. Two of their encounters took place in 2024 out of which both were won by Sinner. The Italian player prevailed over Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Australian Open and then beat the Serb in the Shanghai Masters as well.

In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport on November 30, Djokovic himself acknowledged the rising competition. Despite failing to win a Grand Slam in 2024, the Serb remains confident in his ability to challenge the next generation. “Sinner and Alcaraz have established themselves as the two best players in the world, not to forget (Alexander) Zverev,” he said. “All of them will be the main candidates to win the Slams and other titles. However, physically and mentally I am ready to play my tennis again and I have the feeling that I can challenge these guys, my experience can come in handy.”

Facing the young challengers in 2025, Novak Djokovic has turned to long-time rival and friend Andy Murray for guidance. Here’s what Patrick Mouratoglou thinks about this new partnership.

Patrick Mouratoglou on Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray’s Unexpected Coaching Partnership

Novak Djokovic took the tennis world by storm when he announced that he had hired 3 time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray to be his coach for the upcoming season. Patrick Mouratoglou has mixed feelings about this collaboration. In his ‘The Eye of the Coach’ series, he said, “Is Andy the right person to motivate him [Djokovic]? I would say yes and no,” began Mouratoglou. “I would say no because I don’t think he has that personality, he’s very quiet, but he’s very smart, and I think he’ll have good ideas on how to challenge Novak so that he finds a new form of motivation.”

Djokovic has been playing without a coach since he parted ways with Goran Ivanisevic in March 2024. They had a successful collaboration for 6 years which resulted in 12 Grand Slam victories. Djokovic will now work with Murray in the off-season and during the Australian Open and will re-evaluate their partnership after the Melbourne major

As the Serb prepares to start his 2025 season at the Brisbane International before heading to the Australian Open, all eyes will be on his partnership with Andy Murray, especially with the threat of young challengers like Alcaraz and Sinner looming large. Can Djokovic win a record-extending 11th Australian Open title? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.