Andrea Petkovic, former world No. 9 and respected tennis analyst, recently described Novak Djokovic’s current position in the sport as the “third wheel” alongside rising stars Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Petkovic drew parallels to Djokovic’s earlier career when he was overshadowed by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Sinner and Alcaraz have dominated recent Grand Slams, sharing the last seven titles with Sinner winning four and Alcaraz three. Djokovic, now 38, was the last to break through before this era of dual dominance, earning his 24th Grand Slam at the 2023 US Open.

Since the start of 2024, Djokovic has been a strong contender, reaching the semifinals in five of seven Grand Slams and all three in 2025. Yet, four of his six losses at majors in this span have come at the hands of Sinner or Alcaraz.

On her podcast with Boris Becker, Petkovic stated, “He was with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, and now he’s with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. I’m glad we have him, but he’s no longer a favourite. It was his initial destiny in tennis to be number three, then there were years when he was number one. Now, towards the end of his career, it’s his destiny again to be the third wheel.” She acknowledged Djokovic’s continued excellence by noting, “He played three Grand Slam semi-finals in 2025. He’s clearly better than the rest of the field in big matches. But against those two (Alcaraz and Sinner), it’s not enough.”

Earlier in 2024, after Djokovic retired due to injury from the Australian Open semifinal, Petkovic shared her confidence in his tennis ability while expressing concern for his health. Regarding Djokovic’s quarterfinal victory over Alcaraz, she said, “I’m not worried about Novak, I thought he played so well at the Australian Open — that match against Carlos (Alcaraz). Some people wanted to put this one on Carlos, I just thought he was outplayed by Novak. I didn’t think he (Alcaraz) played so badly and so I’m not worried about Novak at all in terms of tennis, just worried about his health and if he’s healthy, he will be fine.”

Petkovic also wrote on her Substack blog during the Australian Open that Djokovic’s performance erased her doubts about his ability to compete with younger players. “Whoever doubts Novak’s tennis ever again, whether Novak’s 37 years old or 55 years old, should from this day forth be punished with perpetual silence,” she declared. She praised his adaptability and skill, noting, “Novak still has it and I would argue for three matches (Machac, Lehecka and Alcaraz), he played better than ever.” According to her, Djokovic remains a consistent and intelligent competitor, adjusting his game to retain unpredictability against opponents despite his age.

The Canadian Open, a prestigious Masters 1000 event on the ATP Tour, has seen many tennis legends perform at their best. Here, we spotlight the seven men who hold the highest win percentages at the Canadian Open in the Open Era, considering players with at least 10 matches played.

Boris Becker, a former world No 1, impressed with an 81.82% win rate based on a 9-2 record. Becker claimed the Canadian Open title on his debut in 1986, defeating Stefan Edberg in the final. He also reached the semifinals in 1987 and participated again in 1993.

Björn Borg was a dominant figure in the late 1970s. He secured the Canadian Open title in 1979 after defeating John McEnroe and reached the final in 1980 but retired injured against Ivan Lendl. Borg ended with an 82.61% win rate, holding a 19-4 match record at the tournament.

Rafael Nadal matches Borg’s 82.61% win percentage, the fifth highest in the Open Era. Nadal has claimed the Canadian Open five times: in 2005, 2008, 2013, 2018, and 2019. His 38-8 win-loss record highlights the event as his most successful hard-court tournament.

Novak Djokovic boasts a 84.09% win rate with a 37-7 record. The Serbian won the Canadian Open in 2007, 2011, 2012, and 2016 and finished runner-up to Andy Murray in 2015.

Ilie Năstase, a prominent player in the early Open Era, holds the third-highest win percentage at 84.62%. He won the title in 1972 and reached a second final in 1975, finishing with an 11-2 record.

Guillermo Vilas was a two-time Canadian Open champion in the 1970s, winning in 1974 and 1976. With a 17-3 match record, Vilas holds an 85% win rate.

Leading all others, Ivan Lendl owns the highest win percentage at the Canadian Open, winning six titles (1980, 1981, 1983, and 1987-89) and finishing runner-up in 1982 and 1985. His 57 wins in 66 matches give him an 86.36% winning percentage, underscoring his dominance at this event.

Determining the best WTA player of the 21st century remains an evolving debate. With a quarter-century elapsed since 2000, a thorough examination considers Grand Slam success, total titles, ranking tenure, era competitiveness, and overall impact.

Jennifer Capriati’s comeback marked her as a notable figure early in the millennium, capturing her first major at the 2001 Australian Open, then Roland Garros the same year, followed by the 2002 Australian Open title, along with 17 weeks as No. 1.

Victoria Azarenka dominated in the early 2010s, securing back-to-back Australian Open victories in 2012 and 2013, three US Open finals, semifinal appearances at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and spending 51 weeks at No. 1 with 21 titles including 10 at WTA 1000 level.

Naomi Osaka achieved an unprecedented streak of winning a Grand Slam in four consecutive seasons: US Open titles in 2018 and 2020, Australian Open wins in 2019 and 2021, alongside 25 weeks atop the rankings.

Arina Sabalenka has become a consistent force with back-to-back Australian Open titles in 2023 and 2024 and the 2024 US Open, three Wimbledon semifinals, approaching 50 weeks as No. 1 with 20 titles including nine WTA 1000 victories.

Kim Clijsters overcame early final losses to amass four majors, including three US Open wins after returning from retirement, 20 weeks as No. 1, 40 post-2000 titles, seven WTA 1000 titles, and three WTA Finals victories.

Iga Swiatek sets the standard as a six-time Grand Slam winner with a perfect 6–0 finals record, a Surface Slam, 125 weeks at No. 1, 10 WTA 1000 titles, and an unparalleled 37-match win streak in 2022.

Maria Sharapova remains the last to complete the Career Grand Slam, with five majors and 36 titles including 14 at WTA 1000 level, despite her career’s later setback from doping allegations.

Justine Henin, with 117 weeks at No. 1 and seven Grand Slam titles including multiple French Open wins, stands as one of the game’s all-time greats.

Venus Williams’ five Wimbledon titles, two US Open championships, nine major finals runner-up finishes, 11 weeks as No. 1, and 40 post-2000 titles underline her significance in a highly competitive era.

Serena Williams, however, towers above all, with 22 of her 23 Grand Slam titles amassed after 2000, multiple titles across all majors, two stints holding all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously, a record 319 weeks at No. 1, and 68 WTA titles since 2000, epitomizing dominance in this century.