Novak Djokovic continues scripting his legend at every match. At the 2025 Australian Open too, the 37-year-old has been nothing short of spectacular, showcasing the kind of resilience and skill that have earned him a staggering 10 titles at this very tournament. Now, with just two matches separating him from an 11th crown, Djokovic is gearing up to face Alexander Zverev in what promises to be a thrilling semifinal showdown. Having dropped only three sets throughout the campaign, Novak’s dominance is impossible to ignore. Now, tennis legend Boris Becker has stepped in to shower praise on his former protege.

The Serbian tennis sensation played his latest match against Carlos Alcaraz and despite facing a physical issue that cost him the first set, he managed to bounce back in style. Djokovic closed out the match in straight sets, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. This also etched his name on yet another special record as he qualified for the 50th semi-finals in the last 68 Grand Slams that he has appeared in. Now, sharing his take on this match, Becker went all-out, praising Nole and reflecting on why his legacy is unmatchable.

Speaking to Andrea Petkovic on the Becker Petkovic podcast, the former German ATP Star said, “Before the match, I thought Alcaraz was the favorite. He even won the first set. Novak got treatment and suddenly a side of Novak emerged that we all know, but didn’t believe he still had.” Lauding his tenacity further, Becker added, “He’s 37 years old. At that age, you usually don’t get fitter, faster, or better. Especially in long matches it becomes an issue. But as the match went on, Novak kept getting stronger and Carlos couldn’t keep up.” And according to the German veteran, this is precisely why Nole is one of the greatest players of all time. 

“That’s simply a quality that’s unmatched and that’s also the reason he’s won 24 Grand Slams. He still plays tennis to experience moments like these,” Becker added further in the interview. This, however, is not the first time when Becker – who coached the Serbinator to six of his Slam titles – has shared his admiration and support for the Serbian Maestro. 

Djokovic took to his Instagram to share some visuals of his preparations ahead of the Paris Olympics last year. Captioning it, he wrote, “Getting ready for @olympics. Who’s with me? 💪🇷🇸🎾.” Among many followers, people spotted veteran tennis player and coach Boris Becker’s adorable wish for Nole. “Always with you Schatzi 🙌,” he wrote. Similarly, when Australian broadcaster Tony Jones stirred controversy by jeering at Nole’s fans and saying “Novak is overrated. Novak’s a has-been. Novak, kick him out,” Becker stood firm and expressed his anger against the mockery.

Taking to X, the German wrote, “That’s actually very disturbing behavior from a TV broadcaster who works for Channel 9 … does he still have a job for the rest of the tournament?” And it is probably because of such support that Djokovic is immensely confident of winning many more titles as well. But guess what? His grit comes with a healthy dose of humor too – he isn’t called the Djoker for nothing, now!

When Novak Djokovic took a funny dig at Alexander Zverev

Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev have faced each other 12 times on the courts so far with the head-to-head tally standing at 8-4 in Nole’s favor. Interestingly, the ATP conducted a special feature with Djokovic a little ago, where the former No. 1 player answered questions from his peers, including Alexander Zverev. And now, the video is making rounds yet again ahead of their semi-final clash. Talk about timing!

In the video, Zverev asked Djokovic, “Novak, are you finally going to let me win a Slam myself?” Sure, he was not the only player to ask such a question but all eyes were on Nole’s response. Hilariously responding to his opponents, the Serb said, “Come on guys! I don’t know what to say. I’m going to have to disappoint all of you, because you’re going to see quite a bit of me in the next several years. I have big plans. I have still a lot to win.”

Now, with the semi-final match just a few hours away, it will be interesting to see if the Serb can dominate the courts and enter yet another Grand Slam final of his career.