Sue Barker reveals concern for Novak Djokovic at Australian Open - 'I worry now'
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Sue Barker has admitted she worries whether Novak Djokovic is good enough to win the Australian Open this winter at the age of 37.
The Serb has battled his way to the third round of the competition with victories over Tomas Machac, Jaime Faria and Nishesh Basavareddy so far.
However, Djokovic has dropped two sets at the competition so far - with the 37-year-old struggling during his first two matches.
Should he go all the way, and claim an 11th Australian Open crown, he'll become the oldest man to win a Grand Slam title.
Sue Barker has admitted she worries whether Novak Djokovic is good enough to win the Australian Open this winter at the age of 37
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Yet Barker fears for the Serb based on his displays so far, with the 1976 French Open winner raising her concerns on talkSPORT.
"Although watching him this week, he doesn't look like the Djokovic of two years ago," she said.
“I worried last year, that was the first year that he hadn't won a Grand Slam for so long in 2024, and I worry now whether he will."
Andy Murray is currently working with Djokovic in Melbourne.
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It is an alliance that has intrigued the tennis world, with the pair previously rivals during Murray's own playing days.
And Barker feels the Briton is 'quite a distraction' at the current moment in time given how he's dominating the headlines.
"He's got Andy there," she continued.
"That's maybe proving to be quite a distraction for him in a way, because it's almost more about Andy than more about Novak Djokovic at the moment.
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“But it'll be interesting to see what Andy brings to the table and if he can reignite that fire to let him get the one more Grand Slam he needs to be the greatest of all time beating Margaret Court's record.
"They're both on 24.”
While Barker fears for Djokovic this winter, she has also insisted that the controversial tennis star is the best player of all time.
For years the debate has rumbled on, with some fans choosing Roger Federer - while others would go with Rafael Nadal.
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Sue Barker believes Novak Djokovic is the best tennis player of all time
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For Barker, however, Djokovic is the undisputed best.
“As the record books say, absolutely he is [the greatest]," she insisted.
"24 Grand Slams. He was just unbeatable for so long.
“A lot of people will say Roger Federer did a lot more for the game and has more popularity, possibly.
Sue Barker believes Andy Murray is a 'distraction' for Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open
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“But Novak Djokovic, there's no question. In the era that he was in, with Rafa [Nadal], with Roger, with Andy [Murray], to win the Grand Slams that he won time and time again, it's just incredible."
Djokovic and Jiri Lehecka will lock horns at the Australian Open on Sunday (8am). Their match is poised to take place at 8am at the Rod Laver Arena.
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