Who can believe that the 24-time Grand Slam champion and one of the GOATs of tennis has not won a single title since last year? Shocking, but true! Though Novak Djokovic completed his dream of winning Olympic gold in 2024, he had to end the season without a title. A first for him since 2017. He started the season at his happy hunting ground, the Australian Open, but had to withdraw from his semi-final match due to a muscle tear. He is now back on court at the Qatar Open. Will this titleless drought finally end?
Novak Djokovic has a relatively smooth path in Doha, Qatar. He will kick off his campaign against Matteo Berrettini, a player with a booming serve and a big forehand. But history is on Djokovic’s side—he leads the head-to-head 4-0. Their most famous battle? The 2021 Wimbledon final, where Djokovic won in four sets. Unless Berrettini pulls off something extraordinary, the Serbian should cruise into the second round.
Novak Djokovic’s Qatar Open draw:
R1 – Berrettini
R2 – Struff/Griekspoor
QF – Draper/Popyrin
SF – Alcaraz/Dimitrov
F – Medvedev/de Minaur
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— Olly Tennis (@Olly_Tennis_) February 15, 2025
There, the World No.7 will meet either Jan-Lennard Struff or Tallon Griekspoor. Both are solid opponents, but Djokovic has dominated them in the past. He has a perfect 7-0 record against Struff and a spotless 4-0 record against Griekspoor. These numbers suggest Djokovic should have little trouble moving on.
Things might get trickier in the quarterfinals, where he could face Jack Draper or Alexei Popyrin. Draper, a rising left-handed talent, has never played Djokovic before, making this an unpredictable matchup. Popyrin, on the other hand, knows what it’s like to beat the Serbian. He stunned Djokovic in the third round of the US Open, handing him a rare early exit. If they meet again, the Serbian tennis star will be out for revenge.
The semifinals could bring his toughest test yet—a potential showdown with Carlos Alcaraz. The 37-year-old and the 21-year-old have built an intense rivalry, and their latest meeting at the Australian Open quarterfinals was another thriller. Djokovic won in four sets, bringing their head-to-head record to 5-3. If Alcaraz makes it this far, it will be an exciting showdown that could go either way. His other likely opponent will be Gregor Dimitrov, one that he would probably prefer. Against Dimitrov, Djokovic has been dominant. He leads their rivalry 12-1, with Dimitrov’s only win coming way back in 2013. If the Bulgarian tennis player somehow makes it past Alcaraz in the semi-final, Djokovic’s path to the final could get a lot easier.
If the 24-time Grand Slam champion reaches the final, he might encounter Daniil Medvedev or Alex de Minaur. Medvedev, a highly defensive player, has always been a tough opponent. Djokovic leads their head-to-head 10-5. However, the Russian tennis star is struggling right now. He hasn’t won a title since 2023 and has suffered early exits in every tournament this year. But with the right tools, he can turn out to be a lethal opponent, just like he did in their epic US Open final in 2021, where he won his first and only Grand Slam title.
Another potential opponent is de Minaur. Djokovic holds the advantage, leading their head-to-head 2-1. If they face off in the final, the Serbian will be the favorite to end his title drought and finally claim his 100th ATP singles trophy. What does he think about that?
Novak Djokovic believes the 100th title is very near
Novak Djokovic is more than ready to join an elite club. Only two men have reached 100 ATP titles—Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103). Winning in Doha would add another record to his already illustrious career.
Speaking in an interview after the Australian Open he said, “I hope that the 100th trophy can come to Doha right now, I’ve been chasing it for a long time, since October of last year, but about then – it will come when it should come. Thank God, I know it will come, we’ll see when and where.”
He also has his sights on improving his already record-breaking 24 Grand Slams. He said, “As for the Grand Slam, it’s a bigger challenge, a more difficult undertaking, but I believe I can. If I didn’t believe I could compete at that level with the best tennis players in the world, I wouldn’t be competing any further. I think I proved with the victory against Alcaraz at the Australian Open that I can still compete for the biggest trophies.”
Djokovic has done it all in tennis, but this one milestone still remains. Will Doha be the place where he finally hits the century mark?
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