Tennis legend claims Djokovic’s Grand Slam victories require luck, while Australian Open officials back Swiatek to win in 2026.

With the 2026 season still ahead, discussions about Djokovic and Swiatek’s chances of winning next year are already trending!

In a recent interview, former US Open finalist and tennis veteran Rusedski openly declared that the Serbian champion is the last person who should be thinking about retiring.

According to this tennis legend, although Djokovic is now 38 years old and no longer has any age advantage, currently ranked only fourth, he still ranks as the “third best player” among active competitors and remains highly competitive in major tournaments.

Rusedski’s comments stem from concern that repeated speculation about Djokovic’s retirement might undermine the Serbian star’s determination to pursue his 25th Grand Slam title. After all, while hearing such talk once or twice might not matter, repeated mentions are hard not to affect the player emotionally.

In fact, talks about Djokovic’s retirement have sharply increased since last year.

A player who was nearly unbeatable in Grand Slam tournaments the previous year suddenly becoming a marginal figure naturally signals to some that his abilities have significantly declined.

This year has been similar for Djokovic! Despite reaching the semifinals in all four Grand Slams—a feat that surpasses most male players—some believe that given Djokovic’s stature, merely making the semifinals is unsatisfactory; only winning the title meets public expectations.

Therefore, having been excluded from Grand Slam championships for two consecutive years, and considering Djokovic himself finds winning increasingly difficult, some think it might be better for him to retire gracefully rather than extend his career like Murray, whose final struggles were heartbreaking to watch.

However, Rusedski clearly disagrees, reasoning simply that apart from Sinner and Alcaraz, it is very challenging for anyone else to prevent Djokovic from winning a Grand Slam, indicating that the Serbian star still has the capability to claim titles—“he just needs a bit of luck to make it happen.”

Rusedski’s remarks received broad support after being reported by the media because they reflect the truth.

This year, Djokovic defeated Alcaraz at the Australian Open but then lost in the semifinals to Zverev due to injury, which was very unlucky; subsequently, at Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open, he was defeated in crucial moments by Sinner or Alcaraz, further showing that luck did not favor him at key times.

For Djokovic to win in 2026, if fortune smiles upon this 38-year-old veteran at critical moments, his dream of a 25th Grand Slam title will naturally become a reality.

Yet, some wonder whether such good luck will truly come to Djokovic next year, allowing the last tennis titan to experience a career highlight and have all fans and netizens cheer wildly until they lose their voices. We shall wait and see!

Compared to Rusedski’s view that Djokovic needs some luck to claim his 25th Grand Slam next year, Swiatek is strongly supported by Australian Open officials, with her victory seeming almost inevitable.

Before the start of the 2026 season, the Australian Open officially expressed confidence in Swiatek’s chances of winning the tournament next year.

The Australian Open’s confidence in Swiatek is based on three reasons: first, the Polish player is highly competitive on both slow and fast hard courts, explaining why she reached the semifinals twice at Melbourne Park; second, she maintains an impressive 83% win rate in Grand Slams, and combined with the warm-up at the United Cup early in the season, this helps her peak for the Australian Open; third, her semifinal loss to Keys this year was somewhat unexpected, but with her goal of achieving a career Grand Slam, she will likely have renewed determination and exceptional resilience next year.

Some might argue that with Sabalenka in the mix, the Australian Open’s confidence in Swiatek winning next year could be premature.

Swiatek will enter the Australian Open next year as the second seed, only potentially facing Sabalenka in the final, and since Swiatek has maintained a perfect record of winning every Grand Slam final she has reached, this is likely another reason why the Australian Open officials favor her.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River’s Starry Sky)