19 consecutive years of stability
This milestone started in April 2006, when 19-year-old Djokovic entered the ATP Top-40 for the first time. His ranking climbed immediately after reaching his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at Roland Garros and since then, in almost 19 years, he has not missed a single week out of the field. During this period, eras changed in tennis, players changed, the speed of the surfaces and physical demands increased, but Djokovic’s stability remained constant.
In the headlines even without playing in the new season
In early 2026, Djokovic decided to withdraw from the Adelaide International and did not play early tournaments on the ATP tour. Despite this his influence did not diminish. While Daniil Medvedev won titles in Brisbane and Alexander Bublik in Hong Kong, the 38-year-old Djokovic remains fourth in the ATP rankings. Currently ahead of him are Carlos Alcaraz, Yannick Sinner and Alexander Zverev.
Generations changed, but Djokovic remained constant
Djokovic’s career touches three generations. He initially faced legends like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, then dominated the Andy Murray era and now faces the new generation like Alcaraz-Sinner. For them, longevity has now become as big an achievement as trophies.
Search for 25th Grand Slam
After reaching the semi-finals in all four Grand Slams in 2025, Djokovic will now enter the 2026 Australian Open with another big goal. His eyes will be on the 25th Major title i.e. Grand Slam title. Leaving Adelaide and focusing directly on Melbourne is part of this thinking.
