Jo-Wilfried Tsonga makes bold Novak Djokovic call snubbing Alcaraz and Sinner ahead of Australian Open 2026

Novak Djokovic's former rival Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has made a bold call about the Serb. As the 2026 Australian Open approaches, the former World No.5 snubbed Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and warned that Djokovic would be ready to take ‘even an inch of opening’ in Melbourne.

The men's singles game in tennis has been a duopoly between Alcaraz and Sinner for the last two years. The duo divided the four Grand Slams evenly between themselves in 2024 and 2025, with Djokovic falling just short each time. As the 2026 season approaches, the 38-year-old will now be gunning for a 25th Major title, and Frenchman Tsonga thinks this feat is within reach. In a conversation with Blick Magazine, the two-time ATP Masters 1000 champion stated,

“When you hear (Djokovic) talk about Carlos and Jannik today, putting them on another level, you sometimes get the impression that he’s already given up. But I think he’s still ready. He continues to play very good tennis. And if there’s even an inch of opening, he’ll take it. You can feel that every time he steps onto the court, he’s pushing the boundaries even further. It will be fascinating to follow him this year.”

Novak Djokovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga faced-off against each other 23 times between 2008 and 2019. While Djokovic won 17 of these encounters, Tsonga put up several impressive performances against the Serb.

Novak Djokovic reaffirms LA 2028 goals and his love for competing ahead of the upcoming season

Djokovic at the World Sports Summit in Dubai (Image Source: Getty)

In 2025, Novak Djokovic made semifinal appearances in all four Grand Slam events, but the five-set matches took their toll and the once indefatigable tennis star looked physically incapable of surpassing the challenge posed by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

Amidst the retirement rumours floating around him, the Serb recently reaffirmed that he intends to continue competing until 2028.

“The LA Olympics is a guiding star. There’s no limit. I love competing. As long as I feel good, my body holds up, and I play at a high level — why not?” I’m still contributing to tennis. Big changes are coming, and I want to be part of them. Longevity isn’t just about sports. It’s about how you manage your body, mind, energy, and time. Pressure is a privilege. I always wanted to be on the world stage, and I’m grateful to still be here,” he said at the World Sports Summit in Dubai.

Novak Djokovic is scheduled to kick off his 2026 season with an appearance at the Adelaide International, an ATP 250 event that he has won twice. The tournament takes place between January 12 and 17, and the 38-year-old will be joined by the likes of Tommy Paul, Joao Fonseca, and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the draw.

Edited by Riddhi Acharya