John Isner: It's unfair to write off Novak Djokovic

Former American player John Isner pushed back against his countryman Steve Johnson's bleak assessment that Novak Djokovic is no longer a contender for major titles.

Isner counters Johnson's verdict

On the podcast Nothing Major, Johnson — a former world No. 21 — delivered a blunt opinion about the 39-year-old Serbian's prospects: "I'll be honest, I was optimistic about Novak in recent weeks, but now for me it's official — Djokovic is no longer in contention to win any major tournament," he said.

Isner acknowledged the effect of age on Djokovic's results but warned it is premature to write him off ahead of the Australian Open.

"I don't think that's fair. I think at that age it's hard to string together good results. We saw that during the Asian swing. At 39 the body simply can't handle everything it used to, not even Novak's body. But when you focus on one tournament, when you're completely committed to it and when you have a lot of adrenaline, the situation can be different," Isner explained.

The former world No. 8 did not dismiss Johnson's point entirely, yet he tempered it by pointing to Djokovic's calendar: "What you're saying isn't completely nonsensical, although I don't think it's correct. Still, I'd like to soften your statement a bit, because Novak will play at his favourite Grand Slam tournament, in Australia, in two months," Isner concluded.

Djokovic has won the Australian Open ten times in his career, and Melbourne, in early 2027, represents his next major chance to rejoin the race for a Grand Slam title.

Photo: press material from the event