After a disappointing loss at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic is set to confront his doubters. The world No. 1 faced elimination in the semi-final, succumbing to Jannik Sinner, and experienced a prior loss to Alex de Minaur at the United Cup a few weeks earlier. Djokovic had not suffered a defeat in Australia since 2018 before this recent setback. Paolo Bertolucci, a former player, has raised concerns, wondering if the 36-year-old is entering a phase of decline.
In a departure from his usual standards, Novak Djokovic faced a disheartening start to the season, encountering two defeats in two consecutive tournaments. His impressive six-year unbeaten streak in Australia concluded with a loss to De Minaur at the United Cup, followed by Sinner putting an end to his 33-match run at the Australian Open. Djokovic, until this year, consistently secured the title in Melbourne whenever he reached the semi-finals.
During his time Down Under, the 24-time Grand Slam champion encountered challenges, including a wrist injury at the United Cup and an illness during the Australian Open. Despite these setbacks, Djokovic’s uncharacteristic losses have led former professional Bertolucci to ponder whether this marks the beginning of a “decline” for the Serbian player.
Expressing his observations, the former world No. 12 commented on Djokovic’s recent performances, stating, “He is a player who played poorly in Australia, as in previous matches. We have not seen him in good condition.” Acknowledging that performance issues can sometimes be attributed to preparation challenges, he raised the possibility of a decline, adding, “Now, if this is due to a problem that can happen because it happens that someone doesn’t get his preparation right, or if the decline has begun, we will find out in the American matches between Indian Wells and Miami.”
