“I’m not sure if I will come back” – Djokovic uncertain on future amid continued struggles with form
The 24-time Grand Slam champion suffered a fourth first-match loss of the season against Matteo Arnaldi at the Madrid Open

It is unsettling to see Novak Djokovic struggling to solve a problem.
For the majority of the past two decades, he has been the finest tennis player on the planet – conquering every challenge presented to him, claiming all titles there are to claim and reaching consistent levels of peerless brilliance that have taken both tennis and sport as a whole to previously unreached heights.
Underpinning all of this was Djokovic’s ability to adapt in order to rise to new challenges. When faced with the prospect of playing the Australian Open with a tear in his abdomen in 2023, the Serb turned his usually counter-punching, metronomic baseline game on its head. Unable to sustain extended rallies in his ailing physical condition, Djokovic displayed a frightening ability to play first-strike, aggressive tennis. The result? A tenth title in Melbourne.
When Carlos Alcaraz dethroned the seven-time champion at Wimbledon later that same year, Djokovic responded by beating the Spaniard in both their remaining encounters that season, reclaiming the No 1 ranking and clinching a men’s record 24th Grand Slam title in New York in the process.
Djokovic broke the duopoly that Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer held over the sport, he twice conquered Rafa at Roland-Garros. The list of his extraordinary accomplishments is endless.
There will come a time to reflect fully on all of these achievements, once the great Serb has hung up his racquet for the final time.
That day has not yet arrived. Yet, by Djokovic’s own admission, it now appears visible on the horizon.
is time catching up with novak djokovic?
There was always going to be one battle that the 24-time Grand Slam champion could not win – the one that all of us will lose. Time is an intangible enemy, a problem with no solution. And, finally, it seems that time is catching up with Djokovic.
“Things are different, obviously, with my strokes, with my body, with my movement, it’s the reality that I have to accept,” was the Serb’s admission following his second-round loss to Matteo Arnaldi at the Madrid Open.
It was Djokovic’s fourth first-match exit in five tournaments, and he was desperately under par – even for a season during which he has consistently underperformed.
“Well, as you can imagine, [in the past] 20 years, I didn’t experience what I’m experiencing in the last 12 months. Early exits and, you know, way too many.
“Kind of new reality for me, I have to say. You know, trying to win a match or two, not really thinking about getting far in the tournament. It’s a completely different feeling from what I had in 20-plus years of professional tennis, so it’s kind of a challenge for me mentally to really face these kind of sensations on the court, going out early now regularly in the tournaments.”
Despite this, Djokovic remains typically philosophical, strikingly optimistic and steadfast in his calm assertions that he will keep looking for solutions to his current plight.
“But, you know, that’s, I guess, the circle of life and the career (smiling), eventually it was going to happen. Now I’m trying to, you know, use this as a driving force for the future,” he continued.
“It is part of the sport, and you have to accept the circumstances and try to make the best out of the circumstances in your favour for whatever is coming up.
“Grand Slams is where I really want to play the best tennis. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to do that in Roland Garros, but I’ll do my best.”
echoes of former struggles give hope, but a different challenge awaits
It is also worth noting that Djokovic has experienced a similarly difficult stretch in his career before. There was a barren two years between the summers of 2016 and 2018 during which he struggled with motivation, injury and off-court issues, only to rediscover his best form and return to dominance once more.
The difference this time around, however, is that Djokovic is seven years older than he was then. The former world No 1 is not just battling mental or technical problems, he is now also grappling with an ever aging body.
And as Djokovic’s search for that elusive 25th Grand Slam title looks increasingly challenging, questions about how much road the Serb’s career has left to run will inevitably surface, as much in the player’s own mind as in the press room.
It was remarkably telling that, when posed the question as to whether he would be back competing in Madrid again, Djokovic did not know the answer.
“It could be [my last time playing in Madrid].
“I’m not sure if I will come back. So, I don’t know, I don’t know what to say… I hope it’s not, but it could be.”




