Novak Djokovic's Australian Open hopes evaulated by Serena Williams' former coach
NewsFriday, 21 November 2025 at 21:25
Serena Williams' ex-coach, Rennae Stubbs, thinks Novak Djokovic will put particular focus on the 2026 Australian Open and that the Serbian believes he can win the Grand Slam.
Djokovic has talked openly in the last few years about how the Grand Slams are most important to him, which is partly why he plays a reduced schedule to maximize his chances of thriving at the Majors.
However, the former ATP world No. 1 admitted after losing his 2025 US Open semifinal against Carlos Alcaraz that it is challenging for him to defeat Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner over five sets at 38, and he has a better chance in a best-of-three format.
Nonetheless, Stubbs does not think the tennis legend has given up on winning a Grand Slam. In an episode of her podcast, the 54-year-old feels he will do everything possible to prepare for January's Australian Open, where he is a ten-time champion.
"I think Novak. I've said it over and over, I do think Novak is setting his sights. I don't think he cared about the ATP Finals, clearly he didn't play it. I think he's going to put all this time and effort into busting his a** one last time to win down in Australia."
Stubbs argues that Djokovic is the only player who could trouble Alcaraz and Sinner. He stunningly beat Alcaraz in the quarterfinals of this year's Australian Open, but Stubbs is more doubtful about his chances of toppling Sinner.
"I think he's the only one that can rock the cherry cart for Jannik and Carlos. Carlos has never made the finals there. Novak crushed him last year, one set was really good, but Novak was overall better. So I think Novak goes in there going, I know I can potentially get to a semifinal there and I know I have maybe one more last grasp."
"I don't think he'd beat someone like Jannik on that court. I think Jannik is just too good on that court. But it might be the one place that Novak can."
Djokovic has lost his previous five matches against Sinner, including at this year's French Open and Wimbledon. Overcoming Sinner at 38 in the Australian Open semifinal or final would be an absolutely remarkable achievement.
Novak Djokovic is very honest about Jannik Sinner's doping case
In February, Jannik Sinner was given a three-month suspension after reaching a case settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency. That ended his controversial doping case and avoided a date at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Djokovic, who knew and practiced with Sinner as a young player, believes that the Italian did not deliberately take clostebol at the 2024 Indian Wells Open, which caused the positive tests. His time with him leads Djokovic to think that he would not intentionally cheat.
However, Djokovic remains unhappy with how the case was handled. The seven-time Wimbledon winner thinks the timing of his ban between Grand Slams was very convenient, and that the doping system has treated lower-ranked players more harshly.
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