Djokovic hints at possible career end before next season
Defeated by Jannik Sinner at Roland-Garros, the 24-time Grand Slam champion suggested this may have been his final appearance at the French Open
Novak Djokovic, Roland-Garros 2025 | © Dante Badano / PSNewz
Novak Djokovic said during his press conference that the semi-final loss to Jannik Sinner might mark his last match at Roland-Garros.
“I mean, this could have been the last match ever I played here, so I don’t know,” he replied when asked, “If you’re in good health in a year’s time, do you expect to be here?”
“But if this was the farewell match of Roland-Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd,” Djokovic added.
“Obviously Wimbledon is next“
“That’s why I was a bit more emotional even in the end,” The Djoker said, just seconds after calling this match the best crowd support he had ever received at this level in Paris. “I don’t think I have ever received this much support in this stadium in my career, in big matches against the best players in the world. So very, very honored to experience that, obviously.”
Quickly, this strong statement became the main theme of the press conference, as Djokovic has historically been very reluctant to speak about retirement or the final years of his career.
He initially appeared to downplay the impact of his earlier comments: “I don’t know really what tomorrow brings at this point in my career. I’m going to keep on keeping on, yes. Obviously Wimbledon is next, which is my childhood favorite tournament. I’m going to do everything possible to get myself ready. I guess my best chances maybe are Wimbledon — to win another Slam — or faster hard courts, maybe Australia or something like that.”
I feel like I want to play Wimbledon, I want to play the US Open. Those two, for sure. the rest, I’m not so sure.
“I must say that I was proud of my effort tonight and in this tournament, considering I wasn’t in great form coming into Roland-Garros. But yeah, he was just too good for me tonight. (…) I said it could have been my last match. I didn’t say it was. So I don’t know right now.”
“Twelve months, at this point in my career, is quite a long time. Do I wish to play more? Yes, I do. But will I be able to play here again in 12 months’ time? I don’t know. So yeah, I mean, that’s all I can say for the moment.”
Djokovic : “At the moment…”
Asked by Tennis Majors how he was currently approaching his goals and calendar, he clearly opened the door to the possibility of ending his career at the end of the season. “At the moment I will try to stick with the plan I had, which is to play the Grand Slams. Those tournaments are the priorities of my schedule, my calendar.”
“Wimbledon and the US Open — yes, they are in the plans. That’s all I can say right now. I’m going to — unless something, I don’t know, happens, whatever. But I feel like I want to play Wimbledon, I want to play the US Open. Those two, for sure. For the rest, I’m not so sure.”
