Novak Djokovic came painfully close to winning his 25th Grand Slam, only for Carlos Alcaraz to step in and snatch the milestone away. The loss also cost the 38-year-old a shot at becoming the oldest Australian Open champion in history. Now, with his next tournament yet to be confirmed, the bigger question is what’s truly standing between Djokovic and another title run.

According to Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou, the answer might not be physical at all. The veteran coach took to Instagram yesterday and shared his honest take on what held Djokovic back from making history at the season’s first Slam.

“The only obstacle that prevents Novak from winning Grand Slams is his motivation. I don’t think he’s motivated enough for the 25th, otherwise I think he would have done it,” the 55-year-old said.

Mouratoglou pointed to the Olympics as proof of what happens when Djokovic truly locks in.

“He was crazy motivated for the Olympic Games. He made the gold medal and he beat Alcaraz in the final… He is undoubtedly the best of all times. Nobody anytime soon will beat this record. Every time he went to a Grand Slam, he was ready to win. Now he’s not, so he doesn’t expect to go. Why?”

“Not the age, not the level of tennis. Because he’s fit. If he practices and prepares, he can play,” he said.

That’s how Patrick Mouratoglou summed it up, brushing aside the usual doubts about Novak Djokovic. In his view, the issue isn’t physical decline or fading skills, it’s something far less obvious.

Even in defeat, history unfolded on both sides of the net. Djokovic’s opponent became the youngest male player ever to complete a Career Grand Slam, breaking Don Budge’s record by 91 days and topping Rafael Nadal’s Open Era mark by nearly a year and a half.

Meanwhile, Djokovic was playing in his record 38th Grand Slam final, still chasing that elusive 25th major since his 2023 US Open triumph. But understandably so, his body might not feel the same, given the fact that he is just 3 months shy of turning 39.

Still, Mouratoglou believes the Serbian has more than enough left in the tank.

“Of course, he doesn’t recover as well as before, but he can make the matches easy until at least the quarters or the semis to win. Novak is the strongest mental in the history. If he wants something, even if the level is zero and his is zero, he’s going to match it,” he said, pointing to Djokovic’s unmatched mental toughness.

He didn’t stop there. “He’s going to find a way. He’s going to take the most important points of the match, then he’s going to win. It’s only about motivation. He knows it better than anyone. He has all the keys. We don’t.”

The confidence in the Frenchman’s voice made it clear — he truly believes Djokovic can still lift another major trophy.

And despite the Australian Open loss, the numbers still tell a remarkable story. Along with the $2,150,000 in prize money, Djokovic climbed back into the ATP Top-3, pushing Alexander Zverev out of the spot. Even now, he continues to hang around the very top of the sport.

In fact, he remains the only player over 35 in the Top-50, with the next oldest being Grigor Dimitrov at 34. It’s yet another sign of the longevity that defines Djokovic, now in his 757th week in the Top-3 and back among the elite for the first time since 2024. But to keep writing chapters like this, what Novak Djokovic needs is to be playing and staying in the sport.

Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open run fuels retirement questions

In his latest loss to the Spaniard in Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, a tough four-set battle that ended in 6-2, 2-6, 3-6, 5-7, Novak Djokovic couldn’t hold back the emotion.

Standing at the microphone, his voice carried a mix of gratitude and uncertainty. “But I must be very honest and say that I didn’t, you know, think that I would be standing in a closing ceremony of a Grand Slam once again. So I think I owe you the gratitude as well for pushing me forward. God knows what happens tomorrow, let alone in six months or 12 months. So it has been a great ride. I love you guys,” he said, while wrapping up his post-match speech.

Though it wasn’t exactly a retirement announcement, still, the tone felt different. He further kept that same honest energy as he looked back on his journey.

“I try to give you back with good tennis over the years,” he said. “This has been my, I think, 21st year, maybe 22nd year coming to Australia… I always believe in myself and I think that is something that is truly needed and necessary when you’re playing at this level against incredible players like Carlos and Jannik.”

At the same time, the sport around him is clearly shifting. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have taken over the spotlight, combining to win the last eight major titles and looking every bit like the next generation of men’s tennis. Djokovic, meanwhile, stands as the last active member of the Big Three, with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal having already retired.

And let’s not forget, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal both chose to step away toward the end of their respective seasons, and who knows, maybe Novak Djokovic could be thinking along the same lines this time around.