Djokovic outlines his future plans: “As long as I’m a main contender for Grand Slams, I will not leave”

At the grand old age (by tennis standards) of 36, Novak Djokovic is becoming well-accustomed to being asked what still drives him on and when he might one day call it a day. Unfortunately for his biggest rivals. he’s going nowhere.

Even a generation ago, it was customary for players to retire closer to their 30th birthday than their 40th. Pete Sampras quit at the very top, quitting after winning the US Open in 2002 at the age of 32 and even that was considered old at the time. Pat Rafter did not play after turning 29; however, and Bjorn Borg famously walked away from the sport in his mid 20s.

“My body is serving me well. I won three of four slams”

Having won three of the four slams in 2023, equalling Margaret Court’s all-time Grand Slam record of 24, Djokovic has plenty of motivation to continue and speaking at the Rolex Paris Masters on Saturday, the Serb said he had no plans to leave the sport any time soon.

“I’m of course very grateful to be in a position where I am right now in the moment in history of our sport and of my own career,” he said. “I still feel young in my own body. It’s serving me well. I won three out of four slams.

“There is obviously differences with different tennis players in the past ,that some of them think that it’s best to leave tennis when you’re at the top. Some of them think when you figure out you can’t win the biggest tournaments anymore and that you’re losing to the young guys, then you leave it. I’m more in the second group.

“As long as I’m, you know, main contender for the Grand Slams and win the biggest tournaments in sport, I will not leave. I mean, unless mentally something happens and I really have no motivation anymore, but that’s not the case for now.”

Olympic Games on the agenda in 2024

One of the very few gaps in the Djokovic resume is an Olympic gold medal. Djokovic won a bronze medal in 2008 but could yet go into Paris as the favourite to win the title.

“Of course next year is Olympic Games, I really want to do well in Olympic Games, represent my country,” he said. “Davis Cup is something that still gives me a lot of inspiration.

“Any tournament where I play, I want to win, no doubt. But the big goals are the ones that I mentioned. So I think it’s important to have clarity, you know, to have goals and ambitions and move towards them. I have, let’s say, luxury right now to choose which tournaments I participate on, to set my schedule in such a way where I can peak at the right tournaments where I set my highest goals.”

Djokovic missed the Asian swing of events to rest after the US Open, where he won the title to equal Court. He’s locked in battle with Carlos Alcaraz for the year-end No 1 ranking, taking a 500-point lead into Bercy.

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