Vijay Amritraj: Wimbledon Offers Djokovic His Best Shot at 25th Grand Slam, Alcaraz-Sinner Rivalry to Define Tennis Future

Veteran Indian tennis icon Vijay Amritraj believes Novak Djokovic has a golden opportunity to clinch his 25th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon this year. With a potential showdown looming against World No. 1 and two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner, Amritraj said the grass courts offer Djokovic his best chance to outplay the sport’s rising stars.

“This surface gives Djokovic his best shot against both Alcaraz and Sinner,” Amritraj said during a media interaction as part of his JioStar Wimbledon expert commentary. “Most of my fellow players are predicting a Djokovic-Alcaraz final, but Djokovic is right there with Sinner and Alcaraz as one of the top contenders. An upset feels more likely in a Djokovic-Sinner clash than in one against Alcaraz.”

Among the legendary Big Three, Djokovic remains the last active force—Federer retired in 2022 and Nadal stepped away from the game last year. While Djokovic continues to compete at the highest level, Amritraj pointed out that the rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner could soon take over as the defining battle of a new era.

“They’ve already split the last six Grand Slam titles between them. That alone shows this rivalry has real potential,” he said. “If Djokovic makes it to the semis and meets Sinner, that’ll be the match to watch.”

Asked who among the two rising stars—Alcaraz or Sinner—might become the face of the sport, Amritraj said it would depend on more than just skill.

“It’s about more than talent. It comes down to staying injury-free, physical and mental conditioning, desire, and sheer work ethic. Both are still so young—22 and 23—and they’ve been competing since their junior days. They’ve made an impressive start, but long-term success will hinge on consistency and fitness.”

Amritraj heaped praise on Alcaraz, calling him one of the most complete players on tour.

“He has incredible variety—strong from the baseline, excellent serve, clever drop shots and lobs. He’s quick, mentally tough, and hard to break down. The real question is, how long before someone figures out how to beat that kind of all-round game?”

At this year’s Wimbledon, Djokovic has already advanced to the quarterfinals after a comeback four-set win over Australia’s Alex de Minaur (1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4). Sinner also reached the last eight after his opponent Grigor Dimitrov retired hurt. Meanwhile, Alcaraz is preparing to face British hopeful Cameron Norrie in his quarterfinal clash on Tuesday.

In the women’s draw, Amritraj pointed to the wide-open field, noting that Wimbledon has produced eight different champions in the past eight years—and with defending champion Barbora Krejcikova already out, a ninth new champion is guaranteed.

“It’s incredibly close on the women’s side,” he said. “But if I had to choose, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka still looks like the player to beat.”

Speaking on the state of Indian tennis, Amritraj—who once reached a career-high of World No. 18 and claimed 15 singles titles—didn’t mince words.

“We’ve got a long road ahead. If you want to be the next Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic, your work ethic has to surpass everything. Until we consistently see Indian players breaking into the top 100, then 50, then the top 20—we shouldn’t be talking about Grand Slam wins,” he said bluntly.