Martina Navratilova questions Novak Djokovic's future after US Open battering

Was that the end of Novak Djokovic?

As Carlos Alcaraz inflicted a ruthless 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-2 defeat on the 24-time Grand Slam champion in a compelling and often painful US Open semi-final, the final act may have given us a big hint that the career of the most successful male player of all-time has reached an end.

Djokovic smiled as he greeted the brilliant Alcaraz at the net and his smile was in evidence again as he waved to the crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium, potentially for the last time.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion may not know himself if this was his last match at the US Open and maybe even the final match of his competitive tennis career, but he may now accept that he won’t win the record-breaking 25th Grand Slam he is chasing if he needs to beat Alcaraz or world No 1 Jannik Sinner to lift the title.

The sands of time have caught up with the great man and while he matched Alcaraz for the first two sets of this match, he had nothing more to give long before the last rites were administered to his latest US Open bid.

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If we could glimpse into Djokovic’s mind in that third set, we may have heard the voices of doubt this great champion never had shouting down the belief and optimism that has helped to drive his enduring story of success.

And when the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion Martina Navratilova was asked whether the time has come for him to hang up his rackets, she spoke from personal experience as she gave her answer.

“It stinks,” she said when asked how she felt when she reached the end of her remarkable career on Sky Sports.

“I went through it. The effort is the same, you feel the same. I didn’t feel that much slower, but you play the right point and you miss it, when you could have made it with your eyes closed 10 years ago. It’s frustrating.

“The effort is there, the feeling is very good, but the result is not.

“He needs help from someone now to win because to beat Alcaraz and Sinner, that’s too much.”

Former ATP Tour player Ryan Harrison also cast doubt over what comes next for Djokovic, as he admitted his hopes of winning more Grand Slams may be slipping away.

“Carlos didn’t play his best match but won in straight sets which tells you his level of improvement over the last couple of years – even the last nine months to when he lost to Djokovic in Australia,” said Harrison.

“It feels like Carlos has taken the next step. He has heard the noise around him not being at his best early in a tournament.

“He is playing well, serving unbelievably well after some adjustments.

“With Novak’s walk-off at the end of the match, we have a lot to unpack.

“It didn’t look like someone who is definitely sure if they are going to see that court again.”

If Djokovic does not play any regular ATP Tour events between now and the end of 2025, he will only have the Six Kings Slam exhibition event to play before the Australian Open in mid-January.

Djokovic has made no secret of his desire to spend time with his young family and this crushing end to his latest Grand Slam bid will inevitably inspire him to ponder what might come next.

Writing off all-time sporting greats is a fools’ game, but anyone predicting Djokovic will beat Alcaraz and Sinner to win a Grand Slam in 2026 is equally deluded.

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