The tennis world is slowly looking towards its next generation of players, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner leading the pack.
Fans with Roland Garros tickets saw the marvels that Alcaraz is bringing to the court, but the question is whether the last of the golden generation, Novak Djokovic, can combat against young blood for long.
Novak had his first full season without a Grand Slam under his name after he lost the Wimbledon final in a rematch against Alcaraz and had to exit the US Open.
He withdrew mid-way at the Roland Garros owing to injury, with his focus on the Olympics.
Fans who regularly purchase Roland Garros tickets on platforms such as Seatsnet got a glimpse of the legendary Serb at the Roland Garros courts during the Olympics when he defeated Alcaraz to win the long-awaited gold medal.
However, with Djokovic turning 39 next year, there are hints that Djokovic will likely be the last year he will play.
Experts Weigh in on Djokovic’s Future
Patrick McEnroe predicted that 2025 would be the last year of Novak Djokovic’s career and analyzed Serbia’s chances of winning more Grand Slam titles.
Djokovic did not add to his record of 24 Grand Slam crowns this season, making 2024 his first major-less year since 2017.
The 37-year-old was a semi-finalist at the Australian Open, a quarter-finalist at the French Open (where he withdrew through injury), and a runner-up at Wimbledon before he fell in the third round at the US Open.
The legendary Serb did, though, claim the only significant title previously missing from his staggering trophy collection at the Paris Olympics in August.
Djokovic delivered arguably one of his finest-ever performances to overcome Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets in the Olympic gold medal match at Stade Roland Garros.
The Olympics is the only tournament Djokovic has won in 2024 after he claimed seven titles — including three Grand Slams — last year.
The world No 4 withdrew ahead of the ongoing Paris Masters, while his participation at the 2024 ATP Finals in Turin is uncertain.
Speaking on the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast, McEnroe argued that Djokovic will find it difficult to add to his major tally while assessing that the tennis great is “still in the mix.”
“I think this [next year] will be his last year. It has to be very tough to win more majors. If the Australian Open starts tomorrow, he will be the third favorite. That’s pretty solid,” the American said.
“Rafa [Nadal] would have come back. Rafa wanted to play more, and so did [Roger] Federer. They certainly didn’t think they had to win, but they wanted to [play]. I think Novak would be the same.
“He is obviously still in the mix in a big way. There’s no doubt he can win the Australian Open. He won the Olympics on clay, which was amazing.
“Yes, he can win one or two more… Wimbledon. There’s still not that many great grass-court players.”
The former French Open doubles champion highlighted the threat posed to Djokovic by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who won two Grand Slams each this year.
“Sinner, I think, will be dangerous on every surface as we have seen him winning two hard-court majors. Those two guys (Sinner and Alcaraz) have separated themselves,” McEnroe added.
“Novak knows he can still be there in a big spot. As long as he thinks he has got a shot, I believe he will play.
“I predicted he wouldn’t win a major this year; people thought I was crazy. But he did win the Olympics. I think he was really thinking about trying to win that gold medal, and, incredibly, he did it.”
Novak’s Chances of Winning a Roland Garros
Fans who are regulars on Seatsnet also agree with these statements, as fans with Roland Garros tickets understand that mastering clay would require more physical effort than the rest of the surfaces.
While Novak still can make it to the final rounds, it might be challenging for him to win a title again in Paris.
The only outlier to argue for Novak winning another French Open will be Nadal’s heroics in 2022. Coming back to court, where the undoubted king is, Nadal defeated Casper Ruud to claim his last French Open.
Fans who purchased Roland Garros tickets on the day from official sources and platforms such as Seatsnet will agree that they witnessed greatness.
Sadly, the era of the ‘King of Clay’ ended when Nadal announced his retirement after battling injuries.
Djokovic Frustrated by French Open Fans
Recently, Novak Djokovic has expressed frustration with French tennis fans’ behavior, calling their antics “disrespectful” following his experience at the 2024 French Open.
The Serbian star, who has won seven titles at the Paris Masters, pointed to the often-hostile atmosphere French spectators create, especially when international players face French opponents.
Speaking about his experience at Roland-Garros, Djokovic acknowledged the passionate energy of French crowds but noted that it could quickly shift to unsportsmanlike behavior.
“At times, they are not easy, and I’ve had some love affairs with the fans here, along with some tough seasons,” he stated. Djokovic, known for his composure on the court, added that facing a French player in Paris can mean contending with more than just an opponent. “You have to be aware that you’re going into a big battle—not just with your opponent,” he explained.
Djokovic admitted he appreciates a lively crowd but argued there’s a “fine line” between enthusiasm and disrespect. “I want to see fans cheering and chanting…that’s beautiful to experience,” he said, but added that excessive noise or jeering crosses that line, becoming “disrespectful towards the player.”
The situation reached a tipping point when Djokovic witnessed fans’ unruly behavior on the tournament’s outer courts, particularly during a match involving Belgium’s David Goffin. “On the outside courts, it can be even louder and more inappropriate at times,” he remarked, suggesting that the disruptive fan culture in French venues could damage tennis’s sportsmanship standards.
Djokovic’s comments follow increased calls for tournament officials to address fan behavior. Whether you’re securing Roland Garros tickets or looking through official sources or reseller platforms like Seatsnet, fans will need to show greater respect for the game and understand that there is no room for abuse.
In his own words, Djokovic “supports a player standing up against people who are disrespecting and heckling.” He urged French stadium officials to consider stronger measures to curb disrespectful actions, adding that “tolerating” such antics is sometimes unavoidable but often drains players’ focus and energy.
He suggested that umpires should be able to eject disruptive spectators after initial warnings, which might encourage fans to think twice before behaving poorly.