Djokovic is not thinking about retirement after the Wimbledon defeat
In an emotional farewell from Centre Court, Novak Djokovic, after his defeat in the Wimbledon semi-finals against Jannik Sinner, expressed that he does not believe this was his last appearance at the tournament. Djokovic, 38 years old, was eliminated in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. As he left the court, he addressed the crowd, receiving a standing ovation. When asked about the possibility of this being his last match at the All England Club, he replied that although it would sadden him, he doesn’t think that’s the case.The Serbian tennis player, winner of 24 Grand Slam titles, had already hinted at his possible retirement after his defeat at the French Open last month, also against Sinner, where he mentioned that it could have been “the last match I played here”. Djokovic admitted to having physical problems during the match, without specifying, and commented on the difficulty of losing to Sinner and Alcaraz in recent matches. However, he stated that he still feels in good shape in the Grand Slams.I hope it’s not my last match on Centre Court. I’m not planning on ending my career at Wimbledon today. I definitely plan to come back at least one more time, to play on Centre Court for sure.
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic added that he will consult with his team and family to decide his schedule and how to prepare. Previously, he had announced his intention to participate in the US Open, which begins on August 24 in New York. Considered one of the best tennis players in history, Djokovic equaled Margaret Court’s record for Grand Slam singles titles at the 2023 US Open. After a successful season, in which he won three of the four Grand Slam titles and finished the year as number one, he seemed on track to surpass the mark. However, since then, he has only reached one Grand Slam final (losing to Alcaraz at Wimbledon last year) and four semi-finals. He won Olympic gold in Paris last summer, the only major title he hadn’t yet achieved, but otherwise has only won one ATP title in that period. Alcaraz and Sinner, who will compete for the Wimbledon 2025 trophy, have together won the last six Grand Slam titles. Djokovic stated that both are “definitely several levels above everyone else at the moment”.I have given everything I can in terms of training and preparation to play my best tennis in the Grand Slams. I think that, regardless of not having won a Grand Slam this year, or last year, I still feel that I am still playing my best tennis in the Grand Slams. Those are the tournaments that matter most to me at this stage of my career.
Novak Djokovic
