Djokovic: Federer, Nadal Remain My Greatest Rivals, Not Alcaraz or Sinner

Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, has made it clear that he does not view his career as a competition with current world number one Carlos Alcaraz or number two Jannik Sinner. Instead, he emphasized that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will forever remain his biggest rivals in tennis history.

Djokovic's Perspective on Rivalries

The Serbian star, seeded fourth at the Australian Open, advanced to the semi-finals after his quarter-final opponent Lorenzo Musetti was forced to retire during their match on Wednesday. Musetti was leading 6-4, 6-3, 3-1 when he had to stop play due to injury.

Following the match, Djokovic spoke candidly about the emergence of young talents like Alcaraz and Sinner, but he firmly stated that his defining rivalries were with Federer and Nadal. "Roger and Rafa will always be my greatest rivals. I have tremendous respect for what Jannik and Carlos are doing and what they will do for the next 10 to 15, 20 years... God knows how many years they're going to play, they're so young," Djokovic said, as quoted by the ATP Tour website.

Natural Cycle in Sports

Djokovic acknowledged that the rise of new leading players is part of the normal cycle in sport. He suggested that another top player could soon join Alcaraz and Sinner at the pinnacle of tennis, and he expressed his support for such developments, recalling his own early years on tour.

"This is a natural cycle in sports. You're going to have another two superstars [and] maybe have another third guy -- who I'm going to cheer for -- because I've always been the third guy at the beginning. But it's good for our sport. I think these kinds of rivalries and the contrast of the personalities and the styles of play are very good for tennis," he elaborated.

Focus on Personal Goals

Djokovic also addressed how the rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner affects him, stating that it does not impact his focus, which remains firmly on his own targets and achievements.

"How is [their rivalry] affecting me? As I said, I don't feel like I'm chasing. I'm creating my own history. I've been very clear when I say that my intention is always in terms of achievements, objectives and results. I want to get to the championship match in every tournament, particularly Slams. Slams are one of the biggest reasons why I keep on competing and playing tennis," Djokovic asserted.

Acknowledging Current Competition

While recognizing that Alcaraz and Sinner are currently playing at a higher level, Djokovic made it clear that he has no intention of stepping aside or conceding defeat easily.

"Are they better right now than me and all the other guys? Yes, they are. The quality and the level is amazing. It's great. It's phenomenal. But does that mean that I walk out with a white flag? No. I'm going to fight until the last shot, until the last point, and do my very best to challenge them," he declared with determination.