Djokovic in Danger? "He Could Drop Out of the Top 10": Warning from a Former Player

At 38, Novak Djokovic has never been so close to a historic shift.

le 22/12/2025 à 13h03

2 min to read

Despite a solid 2025 season and a world No. 4 ranking, a former player on the tour warns: the Serbian could be the first member of the top 10 to drop out in 2026.

A statement that worries fans

Novak Djokovic out of the world top 10: the idea seemed unthinkable just a few years ago. And yet, it is now part of the debate.

Nadia Petrova, former world No. 3, recently pointed to the Serbian as the player most likely to leave the ATP top 10 next season.

"It's a very interesting question. It could be Novak Djokovic," she told our colleagues at Tennis365.

A solid but misleading 2025 season?

On paper, Novak Djokovic's 2025 season is impressive: 39 wins in 50 matches and a year-end ranking as world No. 4.

But upon closer inspection, this solidity rests on a very narrow foundation.

A ranking built on fragile ground

Djokovic earned 4,750 of his 4,830 points from just eight tournaments: the four Grand Slams, the Miami and Shanghai Masters 1000 events, and the ATP 250 tournaments in Geneva and Athens.

Thus, 3,200 points come solely from his four Grand Slam semifinals.

2026: the year of all dangers

Novak Djokovic's greatest challenge in 2026 will not be to win more. It will be to not lose.

The legend will therefore have to defend his 800 points from the Australian Open, his 800 points from Roland Garros, his 800 points from Wimbledon, and his 800 points from the US Open.

Approaching 39 years old, with an increasingly lightened schedule and a hungry new generation (Alcaraz, Sinner, Rune, Fonseca...), the slightest misstep could prove very costly.

The scenario is clear: either Novak Djokovic once again manages the feat of shining in Grand Slams, or for the first time in over 15 years, he could be looking at the top 10 from the outside.

One thing is certain: the 2026 season will be one of the most intriguing of his career.

Sources

tennis365.com

Djokovic Novak

4e, 4830 points

Petrova Nadia

Non classé

So it's a points game. Manipulating tournament attendance to maximize points. Some things never change.

Reply

You're talking about Nadal.

1 replies

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As we move to the end of this month and also closing out the year I am wishing all of those following me a Merry Christmas and a Happy/Healthy New Year.

Let's make that wish for all 2000 plus players hoping for 5 wins each day. Hoping ŵhen we open the results page to see all green, and no red. And especially NO CANCELED matches.

From me and my rotti JAZ, I bid you all good night, and see you in...

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I love tennis

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why did tennis tonic void predictions on the match between Chwalinska and Huergo at the Quito tournament? The match was played to completion and on time. If TT feels the match is one sided, and of course it was, then don't put it up for prediction. This is getting irritating.

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The finals are here, and we scramble for the best finish. I've been chasing "King" all year and I was able to shrink the spread a little. Skelp is also closing the gap.

Seasons best to all the regulars in our league.

Will you all be back in the new year.?

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Steffi Graf completed a Golden Slam (not just a career Grand Slam) when she was 19. She is the only person to accomplish that, winning the four majors plus Olympic gold the same calendar year.

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