Australian Open 2026: Novak Djokovic’s chances are open to win 25th Grand Slam title – but the same problems remain

Increasingly, it looks like a case of “now or never” for Novak Djokovic.

The more time passes, the less likely it is that the 38-year-old Djokovic will win the 25th Grand Slam title he so desperately craves.

If he were to pull away from Australia’s Margaret Court in terms of number of all-time major wins, the smart money would be on Djokovic to do it at Melbourne Park.

History shows how much he loved the place. Djokovic raised a record by winning 10 men’s titles in the Australian Open, and overall won 102 out of 112 matches he played on the hard courts in Melbourne.

Looking at this work, his fans are starting to believe that the stars are aligning together – and there are several reasons that have strengthened this belief in recent days.

First, fourth-seeded Djokovic narrowly escaped when he made a reckless break near the ball girl during his third-round win over Boteach van de Zandschulp.

Djokovic later admitted that he was “lucky.” Had the ball hit the girl, he would almost certainly have defaulted and watched another attempt at 25 thwarted by his carelessness.

Second, Djokovic was taken off the court on Sunday after injured opponent Jakub Mencic withdrew from their round of 16 match.

For some players, going three days without a game can leave them cold.

Given Djokovic’s advanced years and ability to find his best form without playing regularly, it looks like a bonus heading into Wednesday’s quarter-finals.

Feeling refreshed by having played a game less than their future rivals – Lorenzo Musetti in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, and then Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner – could be crucial.

Third, Djokovic knows that his aura – as well as his playing style – has gotten the better of Musetti in the past, ensuring that he remains the favorite to reach the semi-finals.

Italian Musetti, seeded fifth, lost nine of his ten matches against Djokovic, admitting that he was not “prepared or cool enough” in the past.