Face it — it’s time for Novak Djokovic and Venus – Latest News
Arthur Ashe Stadium is virtually a geriatric ward this 12 months.
Just take a look at this 2026 US Open. Two singles gamers round age 40 have competed on the largest tennis court docket on the planet: Novak Djokovic (39) and Venus Williams (46!).
Predictably, each of the previous champions crashed out within the first spherical.
Novak Djokovic misplaced his first spherical match on the 2026 US Open. Robert Bell/INSTARimages
Djoker did so in a queasily dramatic fashion — a lot in the identical method of his bodily collapse on the Cincinnati Open two weeks earlier.
In Flushing Meadows, the nearly-over-the-hill Serb vomited a number of instances final Sunday, cramped up and broke down in tears.
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What enjoyable.
I ponder what the ring-light-loving influencers proliferating like bunnies on the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center made of that stomach-churning show!
And Williams, the oldest individual of each the lads’s and ladies’s tours by a long way, misplaced in two units to fellow American Sofia Kenin.
Williams — the world No. 618! — hasn’t received a grand slam singles match since 2021. And nonetheless she was mystifyingly granted a wildcard into the match.
Can these guys please simply retire?
Venus Williams hasn’t received a grand slam singles match since 2021. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Though, why would they? With slams routinely giving them prime levels and treating them like royalty, and lazy, stuck-in-the-past commentators gassing them up all of the time, the one incentive for getting old gamers to gracefully exit is excessive public embarrassment.
Well, if Novak and Venus stick round for much longer, there shall be a lot more of that.
Meanwhile, tennis retains getting older.
Thirty was long within the tooth within the sport for males. Thirty-five? Rip Van Winkle. Forty? Methuselah.
Stan Wawrinka, 41, performed his ultimate grand slam match on the 2026 US Open. John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock
The oldest grand slam winner ever stays Ken Rosewall, who was 37 when he received the 1972 Australian Open. Ya know, back when rackets have been made of wooden and tennis was means much less bodily punishing than it is as we speak.
But over on the Grandstand court docket, world No. 127 Stan Wawrinka performed his ultimate slam match at age 41.
The Open gave the 2016 US champ a last-minute wildcard as a going-away current.
That’s significantly better than reserving a spot for a younger, less-experienced American in a nation that hasn’t had a male main winner since Andy Roddick 23 long years in the past, proper?
Humoring names of yore is how we grow the game. Right?!
Stan misplaced in straight units to 30-year-old Matteo Berrettini and acquired bageled within the third. Bon voyage!
Djokovic vomited a number of instances and cramped up earlier than dropping. MediaPunch / BACKGRID
I acknowledge that these vets are some of the best gamers of all time. Statistically, with 24 grand slam titles, Djokovic is the best participant of all time, although I guarantee you he doesn’t have a twenty fifth in him.
Those celebrity-packed personal suites wish to cheer for their fellow celebrities, Honey Deuce in hand.
These all-time greats have giant fanbases and can simply fill stadiums.
But so can youthful opponents just like the supremely entertaining Spanish phenom Carlos Alcaraz (23), brutal Italian No. 1 Jannik Sinner (25), and Americans Coco Gauff (22) and Frances Tiafoe (28).
And they’re truly enjoyable to watch. You get your money’s price. Tennis is in good arms.
Djokovic hadn’t been knocked out in spherical one of a slam in 20 years. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Unlike in soccer or soccer, tennis is an particular person sport, so no one can fire you while you begin to slip.
On the flip-side, additionally not like soccer or soccer, which have a few elder statesmen to call their own, there are no teammates to make up for your apparent deficiencies.
It’s simply you in all of your glory. Or lack thereof.
Thus, more and more high-paying crowds in Queens get caught watching awkward, short and continuously miserable matches simply for the fast thrill of seeing a well-known face.
Plenty of different forces have been complicit on this.
When the Big Three — Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal — hit their mid-30s, there was a sense they’d sailed their megayachts by way of the Fountain of Youth. They’d play until 50!
At 39, Djokovic is one 12 months older than Rafael Nadal when he retired. Best Image / BACKGRID
TV tennis commentators, who each are usually a lot kinder than their counterparts in different sports activities and have been hanging round endlessly, ate it up and naively pretended just like the golden age would by no means finish.
Whelp, it did.
Federer unexpectedly surged at age 35 to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2017 after a five-year victory hole. Then got here the knee surgical procedures. He retired in 2022 at age 41.
Nadal, the King of Clay, was successful slams (particularly the French Open) recurrently until 2022. Then got here the hip operation. He retired in 2024 at age 38.
Now, Father Time has come for Venus and Novak.
Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, in the meantime received his return match in opposition to Roman Safiullin in straight units. AP Photo/Seth Wenig
There has been no higher distinction this Open than that of Djokovic and Alcaraz.
A day after Novak’s unhappy show — his first spherical one exit in a slam in 20 years — Alcaraz took to the exact same court docket after being away from tennis for more than 4 months with a wrist damage.
Everybody held their breath. Could he nonetheless hit these screaming forehands and cheeky ballerina drop pictures?
Could he even make it by way of a best-of-five match?
Yup. Young, recovered and full of vigor, Alcaraz entertained 1000’s, and received in straight units.
Novak cried. Carlos roared.
Proving as soon as again that in tennis age is way more than simply a quantity.
