With a career marked by unmatched success, Djokovic is now focused on how he will retire, rather than when, ensuring that his exit from the sport reflects the same grace and dignity that has defined his extraordinary journey.
Novak Djokovic has revealed the crucial factor that will ultimately convince
him to retire from professional tennis, despite continuing to dominate the
sport at the age of 37. In a recent interview, the 24-time Grand Slam champion
opened up about his father’s persistent attempts to get him to retire and
shared his personal thoughts on how he envisions his career ending.
Currently preparing for what could be his 11th Australian Open title,
Djokovic’s pursuit of history remains as strong as ever. With 10 Australian
Open titles already under his belt, a record he achieved in 2023, the Serbian
icon is undoubtedly one of the sport’s greatest players. Despite his impressive
achievements, Djokovic continues to compete at the highest level, having
recently participated in the Brisbane International to warm up for Melbourne’s
conditions. While his run in Brisbane was cut short by a surprising loss to
Reilly Opelka in the quarterfinals, his form during the Australian Open’s fan
week remained strong, including a win over top rival Carlos Alcaraz in a
practice set.
The world’s former No. 1 player has also enjoyed some positive results in
exhibition matches, including a victory over Alexander Zverev. Additionally,
Djokovic’s new coach, Andy Murray, has integrated well into the team, adding
to the Serbian’s excitement for the year ahead.
However, despite his ongoing success and continued pursuit of more Grand
Slam titles, Djokovic’s future in tennis is a subject of discussion, especially
considering his age. Throughout his career, he has achieved everything a
tennis player could dream of, which naturally raises the question: why does he
still compete?
In a candid conversation with GQ, Djokovic admitted that his father has often
questioned his decision to continue playing, despite understanding the
motivation behind it. “I don’t know if he’s going to be happy with me saying
this, but my dad has been trying to retire me for a while now. He understands
why I keep going, but he’s like: ‘What else do you want to do?’” Djokovic said,
laughing. This insight into his family dynamic reveals just how much his
decision to keep playing is a topic of conversation, even within his own family.
When asked about when he might consider retirement, Djokovic was clear that
he would walk away from tennis once he no longer feels capable of competing
for Grand Slam titles. “If I start to lose more and feel there’s a bigger gap, that
I face more challenges in overcoming those big obstacles in Grand Slams, then
I’ll probably call it a day,” he explained. His statement makes it clear that as
long as he remains competitive and capable of winning major tournaments, he
has no intention of retiring.
However, Djokovic’s thoughts on retirement are less about the specific timing
and more about how he wants to step away from the sport. Reflecting on his
future in tennis, Djokovic shared, “I am thinking about how I want to end it
and when I want to end it. No, actually, I take that back. I think more about
the ‘how’ than the ‘when.’” This shows that the Serbian is contemplating the
best way to exit the sport, seeking a fitting and memorable end to his
illustrious career.
Comparing his potential farewell to other tennis legends, Djokovic referenced
the iconic end to Roger Federer’s career at the 2022 Laver Cup, where both
Djokovic and Rafael Nadal were present to celebrate his retirement. Federer’s
send-off was widely regarded as the perfect conclusion to a brilliant career. In
contrast, Djokovic noted that Rafael Nadal’s retirement ceremony at the 2022
Davis Cup Finals was met with less enthusiasm, with some critics, including
Nadal’s former coach Carlos Moya, calling it “shabby.”
For Djokovic, the prospect of retiring from tennis is not one he takes lightly.
His career has been filled with unprecedented success, and as he approaches
the twilight years of his playing days, he is focused not on when he will retire,
but on how he will leave the sport with the same grace and dignity that defined
his remarkable career.
