Novak Djokovic may still be going strong at 38, holding his own against the new generation led by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, but even he knows he can’t play forever. As the last active member of the legendary “Big Three,” every tournament he enters feels like a reminder that tennis is inching toward the end of an era.

Novak Djokovic delivered a lesson in Grand Slam tenacity to Learner Tien in the first round of the U.S. Open on Sunday as he battled past the American teenager 6-1 7-6(3) 6-2 and launched his latest quest for a record 25th major title.

Novak Djokovic thinks he came up with a way to get Serena Williams back on the tennis tour: Dare her to do it.