In his 22-year professional career, Djokovic has picked up 99 tour-level titles, including 24 at the Grand Slam level.

The 37-year-old won his first Major crown in Melbourne, 17 years ago, as he took down Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final of the Australian Open.

Dominating around the world, Djokovic completed the Career Grand Slam in 2016, as he secured victory at the French Open for the first time, having lost in three previous finals.

The world number seven won his most recent Major title at the US Open two years ago, beating Daniil Medvedev in straight sets to win Grand Slam number 24.

Just two years earlier, Djokovic made a bold prediction about Medvedev that came true shortly after.

Novak Djokovic predicted Daniil Medvedev would reach world number one in 2021

Djokovic beat Medvedev in the final of the 2021 Paris Masters, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, as he clinched the year-end number-one ranking for a seventh time.

Speaking after the match, Djokovic explained why it’s so difficult to play against the Russian star.

“Well, I just mentioned, you know, big serve and just moves very well for his height,” he said.

“There are no holes in his game right now, I mean, both forehand and backhand are very solid. 

“Just running forehand, forehand from mid-court, something that probably wasn’t his forte in the past, now he has improved a lot.

“He always makes you play, you know, he has a way to come back to the point from really difficult positions.

“So, you know, for someone of his height, the movement and the defense is fantastic and also, he has improved in his aggressive style.

“So he takes the ball and comes to the net, and his volleys have improved as well which was maybe his weakness in the past.”

Djokovic praised Medvedev’s commitment to improving his game, having lost to him in the final of the US Open earlier in the year.

“Yeah, he’s one of the guys that you see, where you see the commitment and devotion to every day training and trying to perfect his game,” he said.

“He’s a very smart guy also and nice guy, tries to maximize his potential.

“He’s a complete, all-around player.

“Obviously with his flat shots that he has, clay is the less-suitable surface to him, but I’m sure he’s going to do his best to improve even there.”

The Serb then made a bold prediction about Medvedev’s ranking looking ahead to the future.

“He’s closing into on the world number one ranking,” said Djokovic.

“I’m sure he’s going to get it eventually, and when he does, it’s completely deserved, because he’s the leader of the next generation of players.

“You have [Alexander] Zverev, Dominic Thiem, [Stefanos] Tsitsipas, [Andrey] Rublev, these guys, you know, they are already there.

“They are challenging the three of us old guys, and we’re going to try to hang in there and win big tournaments along with the young generation.”

After the 2021 Paris Masters, Medvedev trailed Djokovic by over 3,000 points in the rankings, a gap that the Russian closed down during the early months of 2022.

Daniil Medvedev proved Novak Djokovic right and became world number one in 2022

Djokovic was deported from Melbourne ahead of the 2022 Australian Open, forcing him to skip the year’s first Major tournament.

He made his season debut at the Dubai Tennis Championships in February, suffering a shock quarter-final defeat to Czechia’s Jiri Vesely.

The result saw Djokovic surrender the world number one ranking to Medvedev, as the reigning US Open champion became just the third Russian player to hold the top spot.

Djokovic regained the ranking three weeks later, as the pair battled it out in 2022, with Medvedev securing 16 weeks as number one.

Daniil Medvedev’s 2025 ATP Tour struggles

Medvedev would love nothing more than to rediscover his 2021 and 2022 form, as he continues to struggle this year.

The Russian star has won just six matches in 2025, losing on four occasions.

• 2025 Qatar Open QF – Lost to Felix Auger-Aliassime
• 2025 Qatar Open R16 – Beat Zizou Bergs
• 2025 Qatar Open R32 – Beat Karen Khachanov
• 2025 Open 13 SF – Lost to Hamad Medjedovic
• 2025 Open 13 QF – Beat Jan-Lennard Struff
• 2025 Open 13 R16 – Beat Pierre-Hugues Herbert
• 2025 Rotterdam Open R16- Lost to Mattia Bellucci
• 2025 Rotterdam Open R32 – Beat Stan Wawrinka
• 2025 Australian Open R64 – Lost to Learner Tien
• 2025 Australian Open R128 – Beat Kasidit Samrej

Medvedev’s defeat to Learner Tien in the second round of the Australian Open, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 6-1, 6-7, was perhaps his worst of 2025, as he lost to the American qualifier in five sets.

The 29-year-old will now switch his focus to the Dubai Tennis Championships, where he’ll take on Jan-Lennard Struff in the first round, as he looks to get his 2025 season back on track.