Jimmy Connors reached the US Open semifinals at the age of 39, and Novak Djokovic matched that record by reaching the Wimbledon semifinals in July. There are few people more equipped to understand the position of Djokovic’s career at this age than Connors, and he shared a warning for the rest of the tour on behalf of the 39-year-old Serbian. 

Djokovic won a record-extending seventh China Open title in Beijing earlier this week – it was his 102nd career title and his first of 2026. It also made him the oldest ATP 500 champion since the category was introduced in 2009. Speaking on his Advantage Connors podcast with his son Brett, the eight-time Grand Slam champion pushed back on the idea that Djokovic is finished. 

“You can say whatever you want about ‘Djoker’, he’s no slouch” Connor stated in his Podcast. “Everybody thinks, ‘Oh, he’s had it, he’s 38, 39 years old.’ You never count a guy out like that, because you get to the point where every match means something more than it ever did. Especially to him, right?” 

“With so little time left in his career, you think that if he continues to do the bare minimum, traveling to all these countries and spending time away from his family, it means he’ll be focused. So, let’s see what happens for him,” he added.

However, Connors even pointed to the weak state of the men’s tour, which created an opening for the Serbian. Jannik Sinner has opted to finish his 2026 season early due to right knee inflammation. The path was clear for Djokovic to travel through Beijing, with Alcaraz busy winning in Tokyo and Sinner being sidelined, and he did just that. 

The theory did not have long to wait for a test, though. The answer came much more soberly at Djokovic’s immediate next tournament, the Shanghai Masters. 

Hurkacz wrongs Connors’ theory in Shanghai

Hubert Hurkacz beat the tenth-seeded Djokovic 6-4, 6-3 in the second round on Friday. The match lasted about an hour and a half, with the Pole hitting 13 aces to Djokovic’s two and conceding little on serve. It was also his first win over Djokovic in their nine meetings. 

Djokovic came into Shanghai on a five-match winning streak but was clearly fatigued against a fast-hitting opponent who won the title in 2023. Hurkacz said afterward that it was a special night and a pleasure to share the court with a legend of the sport. After the defeat, the 24-time Grand Slam champion found solace in the loss. 

“Beijing was great and a very early exit here but it is ok. I had a great week in Beijing and I look forward to resting a little bit and get ready for the indoors,” Djokovic said in the press conference.  

The loss does not erase Beijing but shows how thin the margins are for the 39-year-old when the weeks are stacked together. Especially considering how he won in Beijing, Daniil Medvedev was defaulted from their semifinal, and Ale de Minaur retired in the second set of the final. But before that, he played one of the best matches of this season, defeating the inevitable world No. 1 Alexander Zverev in three sets in the quarterfinal. 

His season has been in flux, and that’s important to keep in mind when evaluating Connors’ warning. Djokovic started the year with a run to the Australian Open final. He then played only three more events before reaching the Wimbledon semifinals. Beijing was the first trophy of his year, which makes the late push more notable and also more fragile. 

Djokovic is now seven titles short of Connors’ record of 109, and only Connors and Roger Federer, with 103, have won more than Djokovic’s 102. He has also now won at least one title in 21 straight seasons, equaling the record shared by Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall.

Whether Djokovic’s upcoming indoor tournaments make Beijing a trend or a highlight will be the test of whether to take the warning seriously or not.