Tennis legend Mats Wilander has predicted that Novak Djokovic will finish his career with 26 Grand Slam titles after his surprise early exit at the 2024 US Open. 

The former world No 1 feels Djokovic is yet to display any signs he is aging physically and asserted that the Serbian “seems to be getting smarter.”

Djokovic‘s US Open title defence ended with a 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 4-6 loss to world No 28 Alexei Popyrin in the third round of the New York major.

The 37-year-old was seeking a record-equalling fifth US Open crown and record-extending 25th Grand Slam, but he will end a season without a major title for the first time since 2017.

The legendary Serb won three Grand Slam titles in a year for the fourth time in his career in a staggering 2023 campaign.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Djokovic earned his 99th singles title and only tournament victory since the ATP Finals in November last year.

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In an interview with Sport Klub, Wilander backed Djokovic to win more majors before he retires and expressed disbelief at the fact the 37-year-old is still competing at such a high level.

“So far I don’t see him getting old, I don’t think this is the year where we thought ‘Ah, he’s 37.’ Physically I don’t notice anything getting older, mentally – he seems to be getting smarter,” assessed the Swede.

“I can’t believe he’s still playing at this rate, but I can believe he’ll keep it up. I think he will win some more Slams, that he will finish at 26. His game is there.

“If he won two more matches here, he would suddenly be the best in the world again, there are not many who can beat him.

“It’s a surprise that he lost, but Popyrin did what not many could do – he served in the corners, sometimes he hit the ball with all his strength, played with variation on the backhand.”

The seven-time Grand Slam champion also identified world No 1 Jannik Sinner as the favourite to win the US Open in the absence of Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.

“Sinner is the first favourite, but there are so many good players,” Wilander added.

“[Daniil] Medvedev can win, in his own way, and it’s good for Sinner that he didn’t have a tough opponent immediately after the elimination of Alcaraz and Djokovic, so that it settles down for him.”

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