Tiafoe: Djokovic Doesn’t Count as Challenger to Alcaraz and Sinner

By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, September 28, 2025
Photo credit: Matthew Calvis

Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic has aged out of the conversation as a true challenger to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner says Frances Tiafoe.

Speaking to Olympics.com, Tiafoe said the 38-year-old Serbian superstar, who reached semifinals at all four Grand Slam events his year, “doesn’t count” as a contender anymore. Tiafoe said he regards Djokovic as GOAT, but he’s no longer in the same class as world No. 1 Alcaraz or No. 2 Sinner.

“There’s a couple more guys who’ve got to join them. I’m not saying beat them, but there’s got to be (other) guys – and that motivates me,” Tiafoe told Olympics.com. “I’m like, yo, who’s that third guy? Who’s that fourth guy?

“Novak doesn’t count. He’s [almost] 40. I love him, but doesn’t count. He’s a GOAT, he’s the best player of all time. He’s not with those guys.

Two-time US Open semifinalist Tiafoe said he’s eager to stake his claim as a challenger to the New Two.

“Who is that other guy or two to be there and maybe beat these guys? That would be the quote-unquote Novak and Murray – before Novak went and did what he did,” Tiafoe said.

“Who are those guys? And there’s a bunch of guys who can be that guy, right? So that’s really motivating me. It’s like, ‘See big picture.’ That’s motivating.”

Though the 29th-ranked Tiafoe is mired in a four-match losing streak, he says he’s highly motivated to make his mark with “one of the best seasons that I’ve ever had” in 2026.

“You can expect a different version,” said Tiafoe. “A version that’s yes, he’s going to be a smiling guy, but he’s going to be there, and hopefully, hopefully, that gets me to where I’m trying to go.

“I’m just trying to gain all the good habits for next year. Next year, I want to have one of the best seasons that I’ve ever had, and I want to start now. I want to start playing the right way, be tough week in, week out.

“Be consistent. Show up. Show up and see where that takes me. Stay in the water for nine months and see what happens. Being super locked in and not bulls***ting and not messing around – see where that takes you.

“And then you look back in nine months to a year and be like ‘yeah, that was cool or maybe I should change this’. But that’s my thing. I just want to keep showing up.

“I got a window. The game’s open, I got a window, I’ve got the capability and the biggest thing probably to being consistent is just be obsessed. You’ve got to be obsessed with the s*** man.”