Novak Djokovic’s career has long been defined by relentless preparation, and even in the later stages of his run on the ATP Tour, the results still reflect that standard. At 39, and in his 24th season on the circuit, he has already reached the Australian Open final and the Wimbledon semi-final this year.

Fresh insight into how he maintains that level came from his physiotherapist, Carlos Costa, who spoke to A Bola, in comments translated by Jose Morgado. Costa, who has also worked with Ana Ivanovic, Tommy Haas, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, and Andrey Rublev, said Djokovic remains unlike anyone he has encountered.

“I have never seen anything like Novak Djokovic,” said Costa, who has also worked with the likes of Ana Ivanovic, Tommy Haas, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, and Andrey Rublev.

“His vision, what he puts in every single day on the court, and his intensity. I had seen something similar before, but never with Djokovic’s consistency.”

Costa also described a player who pays close attention to every detail around his routine and recovery. He said Djokovic notices even small disruptions and goes so far as to test those around him to make sure the team is giving him the best possible support.

“He pays attention to every detail. The amount of time it takes us to give him his towel… if there is something that is not planned, there is friction,” continued Costa.

“He even goes as far as creating tests within the team to find out whether we are really looking for the best recovery strategies and providing the best treatments.

“For example, he asked us why Sinner does eye training and we didn’t. He is constantly looking for ways to be the best in the world.”

Djokovic’s recent record against Jannik Sinner has been difficult, but he did defeat the Italian in a five-set battle in the Australian Open semifinals. That remains his only win in the last seven meetings between the pair.

Another meeting could be on the horizon, with both players entered for the China Open, which begins on September 30th.

Alexander Zverev’s 2026 season has changed the long-running conversation around his career. By winning his first Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros and the US Open, the German has moved from the category of nearly men into tennis’ elite. For years, he was discussed as one of the best players never to lift a major, but those arguments no longer carry the same force.

Even so, his success has not come without debate. Some have argued that Zverev benefited from the absences of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz withdrew from Roland Garros because of a wrist injury, while Sinner missed the US Open with a knee injury, and Zverev took advantage to claim both titles.

Mischa Zverev has now pushed back against that line of criticism, saying the injuries underline a broader issue. “Why weren’t they there? Because they were injured,” said Zverev in an interview with Sport1. “Why do we get injured? Because, in some way, you’re not strong enough, or because you’ve done too much. Because you didn’t rest when you needed to.”

He also pointed to his brother’s return from injury in the 2023 season as an example of what can be possible. “Some people said he would never return to the level he had before. And instead, he came back and played like this. The possibility exists, we’re working toward it, and we’ll see what lies ahead.

Mischa Zverev also addressed criticism of his brother’s ball bouncing at the US Open. “It’s like when you win a Grand Slam tournament and someone complains about the color of your socks,” joked Zverev. “When someone wins and succeeds, there will always be someone saying: ‘Personally, I don’t like this or that.’”

Zverev has already returned to competition, beating Matej Dodig and Dino Prizmic in straight sets at the Davis Cup as Germany defeated Croatia. His next stop is the Laver Cup, where he will represent Team Europe alongside Alcaraz, Jakub Mensik, Rafael Jodar, Flavio Cobolli, and Casper Ruud.

After that, he will move on to the ATP Tour’s Asian swing, beginning at the China Open in Beijing, an ATP 500 event. With a strong chance of rising to world No 1, the rest of his 2026 season may yet match the first nine months.

Carlos Alcaraz will front Team Europe at the 2026 Laver Cup as the side attempts to take back the trophy, with Team World aware of how difficult the matchup has been for every member of their squad.

“We will do everything possible to bring the title back to Europe. We failed last year, so we’ll do everything we can to reclaim the trophy,” the world No 3 said after arriving in London for the ninth edition of the event.

Alcaraz is set to line up alongside world No 2 and two-time Grand Slam winner Alexander Zverev, Flavio Cobolli, Rafael Jodar, Jakub Mensik and Casper Ruud.

Team World will be represented by Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz, Learner Tien, Brandon Nakashima, Alexander Bublik and Francisco Cerundolo at the O2 Arena.

Last season in San Francisco, Team World won the event 15-9 for their fourth title in five years. Even so, Team Europe still hold the overall edge in the rivalry, leading 5-3.

For Alcaraz, this will be his third Laver Cup appearance, and his record in the competition remains strong. He has lost only one singles match, and across the ATP Tour he holds a commanding head-to-head advantage over all six Team World players.

In his 2024 debut, the Spaniard beat Ben Shelton and Fritz. A year later, Fritz defeated him before Alcaraz responded by beating Cerundolo to finish with a 3-1 record.

Against the six Team World players combined, Alcaraz has played 19 matches and lost only once, leaving him with an 18-1 record. That lone defeat came against Fritz at the 2025 tournament.

His head-to-heads show the same pattern. He leads Fritz 5-1, de Minaur 6-0, Cerundolo 4-0, Nakashima 2-0 and Bublik 1-0. He has not yet played Tien.

Team World may at least draw some encouragement from Alcaraz’s most recent defeat, which came against Ben Shelton at the US Open in four sets. Shelton was initially due to play in London, but withdrew after a demanding spell that included a runner-up finish at the US Open a fortnight ago and a Davis Cup tie against the Czech Republic last week.