Australian Open 2026: Novak Djokovic tries to ease the pressure as he seeks his 25th Grand Slam title

Novak Djokovic said he doesn’t think the next Australian Open will be “now or never” given his hopes of winning an all-time record 25th Grand Slam title.

Djokovic (38 years old) is tied for 24 major victories with Australian Margaret Court since his last victory in the 2023 US Open.

Unsurprisingly, the Serbian player has shown signs of decline in recent years, but he managed to reach the semi-finals in all four major tournaments last year.

Given that he has won a record 10 Melbourne Men’s Championships and has had plenty of time to recover before the first major tournament of the season, the consensus is that the Australian Open represents his best chance to capture the elusive title.

“There’s been a lot of talk about the 25th, but I’m trying to focus on what I’ve achieved, not what I’ll probably achieve,” fourth-seeded Djokovic said at Melbourne Park.

“I hope it comes to that [winning 25]But 24 isn’t a bad number either. “I have to appreciate that and remind myself of what a great career I had.”

Djokovic has never hidden his desire to achieve more history, but he is now trying to get rid of some of the “unnecessary” pressure he puts on himself to get past the court.

He begins his final showing against Spaniard Pedro Martinez in Monday night’s session at Rod Laver Arena.

“I don’t think it’s necessary for me to go too far in terms of the make-or-break mentality or the now-or-never mentality,” said Djokovic, who is aiming to become the oldest men’s Grand Slam champion in the Open Era.

“This does not allow me to excel and give my best.”