Novak Djokovic is gearing up for the 2025 US Open, but things haven’t been going too smoothly for him. The Serb has not played a single match after his Wimbledon semifinal defeat on July 11. Djokovic himself admitted at the time that he played that match with a lot of pain. Notably, the 38-year-old took a “nasty” and “awkward” fall in his quarterfinal victory against Flavio Cobolli.

The 24x Grand Slam champion ultimately had to pull himself out of the Cincinnati Open as well, mentioning a “non-medical” reason for it. This also means that the 3x US Open champ will enter the final major of the year without having played a match in about 1 1/2 months. And while many were rooting for a strong comeback for the 4x US Open champ and to complete his 25th Slam, the latest update about Djokovic’s injury seems concerning, to say the least.

In a video going viral on Reddit, Djokovic still seems to have some issues with his right knee. The video clearly shows Novak getting some physical treatment during a practice session in Montenegro. If we look closely, the video captured the 38-year-old pausing his training to address discomfort in his right knee—the same joint that required meniscus surgery last year.

Even though Djokovic had been training without a knee brace lately, showing he’s making progress in his recovery, the latest clip has brought back worries about whether his body can handle the demands of a best-of-five Grand Slam.

This potential setback comes at a pretty concerning time, especially considering Djokovic’s recent comments about going up against younger players like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

Novak Djokovic’s candid confession about playing against a younger force

Novak Djokovic once shared some honest thoughts about his rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as Wimbledon 2025 approached, brushing off the idea that he was the favorite, even with his impressive track record at SW19.

The 38-year-old acknowledged the rising dominance of his younger rivals and dismissed his former coach’s statements in a positive way, stating, “I love Goran and I’m happy he loves me back but I don’t think I’m a favorite against these guys at the moment. I think they are, both of them. But I do probably have my best chance here against them. If it comes down to me facing one of them or two of them, which I hope so… that means I’ll proceed to the finals… then I’ll obviously look for my best game to win. I think I do have a chance.”

Novak Djokovic further continued, stating, “There’s no doubt about it. I think my results on grass, even in the previous years, are a testament to my confidence on this surface. I’ve been playing some really good tennis this year. I feel good about myself. I feel confident. I feel motivated to go all the way. Let’s see what happens.”

But that semifinal loss really highlighted a bigger change in men’s tennis, with Djokovic now seeing himself as the underdog when going up against Sinner and Alcaraz. Even though he had faith in himself and what he could do, his comments showed a tough truth: the time when the Big Four were in charge is shifting to a new generation.