It’s doubtful Novak Djokovic will return to the US Open in the future, according to tennis pundit Patrick McEnroe.
Djokovic has been chasing a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title since his triumph at the 2023 US Open, which was his third major in an outstanding season.
Having been 36 years and three months old at the time of his 2023 US Open win, Djokovic is the third oldest male Grand Slam singles champion in history after Ken Rosewall and Roger Federer.
The Serbian, who is now 38, can break Rosewall’s record if he wins this year’s edition of the New York Grand Slam.
Djokovic is vying for a fifth US Open crown, which would see him tie Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Federer for the Open Era men’s singles title record at the event.
McEnroe, a tennis commentator who was ranked as high as third in doubles and 28th in singles, assessed Djokovic’s US Open chances.
“I think Novak definitely needs some help [to win the US Open],” the former French Open doubles champion told Forbes on an ESPN conference call.
“I think the bigger question we may be asking ourselves by the time this tournament is done, is, will he come back? Will he be back? Because I have my doubts.
“I don’t think he knows. I don’t have any inside information. I don’t think he knows, but what I do know is that he’s not going to continue to play if he doesn’t think he can win. And I think time’s running out for him to win.”
Mary Joe Fernandez, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up, suggested Djokovic will need to avoid facing at least one of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz to have a chance in New York.
“I think he (Sinner) is starting to do everything Novak does just a bit better, so it’s getting a little bit faster, a little bit harder, and he even Novak said it after Wimbledon, it’s getting just a lot tougher to sustain at that level with that type of player,” said the former world No 4.
“The draw is a big part of it, right? How does the draw pan out? Are there upsets? Do one of those two (Sinner and Alcaraz) lose early? Then it’s possible, you know, and that’s why he’s playing. You just never know how things are going to pan out.”
Djokovic exited at the semi-final stage at the first three Grand Slams in 2025, losing to Sinner in straight sets at Wimbledon and the French Open after he was forced to retire in his Australian Open last-four clash with Alexander Zverev.
The Serb, who is seeded seventh, is on the same side of the draw as No. 2 seed Alcaraz, who he could meet in the semi-finals.
