Novak Djokovic's vaccination saga has reduced his Grand Slam-winning chances, suggests Spencer Segura

Novak Djokovic’s growing age and his missed Grand Slam chances in 2022 have worried former American tennis player Spencer Segura.

Djokovic was at the pinnacle of Grand Slam glory at the 2021 US Open, when he fell one win short of a calendar-year Grand Slam in the final against eventual champion Daniil Medvedev.

Despite the defeat, the Serb was hoping to bank on his momentum at the Major events in 2022.

He was instead slapped with a harsh ordeal of being banned from the Australian Open and the US Open, as well as numerous other tournaments, owing to his unvaccinated status.

“Djoker got screwed out of the game. They made it impossible for him, for some reason. They tried to throw him out of the game. There’s a lot of politics in that. They tried to ruin him. Thank god he’s made enough money,” Segura said in a recent appearance on the Advantage Connors podcast.

Despite the trying times, Djokovic lifted two Major titles in his three Slam appearances after the 2021 US Open.

Segura, however, believes that, with the rise of young players such as 2022 US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz, the clock is ticking for the World No. 1, who will be celebrating his 36th birthday on Monday, May 22.

“When you’re over 35 years old, you can’t recuperate. You play 3 out of 5, and you play five tough sets, and you’ve got to play a day later, you’re not recuperating like the 22-year-old. So, you might win one or two of those, but you’re not gonna wining three or two,” he said.

Since 2022, the 22-time Slam champion has lifted seven titles, including two Grand Slams. He has, however, been out of action for the majority of the past 15 months, and has been dealing with injuries of late.

Spencer Segura feels while Novak Djokovic is the greatest player, he won’t be able to stage a flawless comeback against a spirited young generation.

“Djokovic’s the greatest player, I love [his] game. But now he comes back against 3-4 of these kids, it’s a lot harder than it was two years ago or a year ago. I’m not counting him out, I’m just saying he’s gotta beat younger guys,” he said.

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Novak Djokovic set to face Holger Rune in the 2023 Italian Open quarter-finals

Then 19-year-old Holger Rune outclassed defending champion Novak Djokovic in 2022 Paris Masters final

Novak Djokovic is currently defending the first of his five titles from 2022 at the 2023 Italian Open. The six-time Italian Open champion, who was recently sidelined due to an elbow injury, has made a dominant display in Rome thus far.

He is through to the quarter-finals and is set to face 20-year-old Holger Rune on Wednesday, for a spot in the top four of the event.

The clash is expected to be a tough one for the 35-year-old, who famously fell short in his 2022 Paris Masters title defense in the final against Rune.