"Alcaraz and Sinner built their tennis from Djokovic's"

Novak Djokovic is not only the most decorated tennis player in the history of tennis, but he is also one of the main role models for new generations. His obsession with being the best and making his mark in the rivalry with Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer has served as inspiration for many teenagers who, coincidentally, share the circuit today with the winner of 24 Grand Slams.

And while, popularly, both Nadal and Federer have been the two most acclaimed and beloved tennis players, Djokovic has always had to row against the tide; the Serbian is one of the best examples, both for his game and his mentality, that can be found in tennis.

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Andrea Petkovic and Cristopher Eubanks assert that Novak Djokovic is the role model for new generations

This was something that two former tennis players, Andrea Petkovic, a former world number 9, and Cristopher Eubanks, a Wimbledon quarterfinalist, did not hesitate to state in the podcast they share and in statements collected by Sportklub.

Both the German and the American are clear: Djokovic has served as a school for the two best tennis players of the moment, namely, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. “The next generation of aces, especially the top two, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, took most of their playing elements from Djokovic. Sometimes they may say that Federer and Nadal were their idols, but they built their game from Djokovic,” Petkovic stated.

@DjokerNole 👋 pic.twitter.com/Xz2v2ADB8C

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 22, 2026

Eubanks pointed out along the same lines: “I totally agree. From a tactical perspective, the new generation of tennis players has modeled their game much more on Novak's style than on Rafa's or Roger's. Sliding with both feet on all surfaces, a phenomenal backhand, quality in the returns.”

Moreover, both believe that the way Djokovic achieved stardom can serve as an example: “Novak did not jump to fame by winning a Grand Slam. He progressed gradually and improved his game year after year. That’s why Djokovic is a role model for new generations, thanks to his gradual development,” the American emphasized.

It is worth remembering that Djokovic lost his first Grand Slam final at the 2007 US Open. While Nadal won the first four Roland Garros he participated in, and Federer had a streak of five consecutive titles at Wimbledon. After that, the rest is history: 24 Grand Slams, 428 weeks as number one in the world, and 40 Masters 1000 titles.
 

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, "Alcaraz y Sinner construyeron su tenis a partir del de Djokovic"