Djokovic draws inspiration from LeBron, Cristiano, and Brady to extend his career
Novak Djokovic, the renowned Serbian tennis player, has revealed that he feels motivated by the careers of LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Tom Brady, emblematic figures of world sport. Djokovic’s goal is to extend his professional career until the age of 40.Djokovic, who made these statements at the Joy Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, prior to his participation in the Six Kings Slam, highlighted the relevance of James, still active at 40 years old, and the performance of Ronaldo and Brady, who played until 40 and 45 years old respectively. The 38-year-old Serbian tennis player has gone two years without winning a Grand Slam title, surpassed by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. However, Djokovic is not considering retirement and seeks to obtain his 25th major title to break the record for most Grand Slam singles titles.Longevity is one of my biggest motivations. I really want to see how far I can go.
Novak Djokovic
These statements contrast with what he said after being eliminated from Grand Slams this year. After losing to Sinner in the French Open semi-finals, he hinted that it might have been “the last match I played” at Roland Garros. After losing to Alcaraz in the US Open semi-finals, he lamented that he might not be able to beat Alcaraz and Sinner in the five-set format of the majors.
Djokovic has also expressed his intention to participate in all four Grand Slams in 2026, which would extend his career at least until 2027 if he plays beyond the age of 40. Djokovic, co-founder of the Professional Tennis Players Association in 2020, also hopes to use his influence to improve the sport. The main players are pressuring the Grand Slams for a greater share of revenue, while the PTPA launched lawsuits against tennis governing bodies earlier this year in an effort to force changes.I want to live to see, to live in the sense of continuing to play professionally, what’s coming for our sport, and I’m very excited about it. These are things I can’t talk about openly at the moment, but in the coming years, I feel that tennis is a sport that can be greatly transformed, and I want to be part of that change.
Novak Djokovic
