Novak Djokovic has given his biggest hint yet that he may be close to retiring from tennis after a gripping Roland Garros semi-final defeat against Jannik Sinner.
Djokovic toasted his 38th birthday last month, but he still found a way to compete with 23-year-old Sinner in an epic battle in Paris.
Sinner may have won 6-4, 7-5, 7-6(3), but Djokovic was competitive throughout and had set points in the third set that could have put pressure on the world No 1.
The ovation Djokovic received as he left Court Philippe Chatrier inspired him to stop and wave to the spectators and he offered up some honest comments in his press conference that suggested his retirement from tennis may now be close.
“It was just a great sense of gratitude for the kind of support that I received tonight. It was incredible,” said Djokovic of his decision to stop on court, lay down his racket bag and wave to the Paris fans.
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“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 I’m very, very honoured to experience that, obviously.
“I mean, this could have been the last match ever I played here, so I don’t know. That’s why I was a bit more emotional even in the end.
“But if this was the farewell match at Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd.”
He was then asked how long he has been pondering whether this may have been one final bow at Roland Garros and added: “Not long. You know, I don’t know. I don’t know really what tomorrow brings in a way at this point in my career. You know, I’m going to keep on keeping on, yes?
“Obviously Wimbledon is next, which is my childhood favourite tournament. I’m going to do everything possible to get myself ready.
“I guess my best chances maybe are Wimbledon, you know, to win another slam – or a faster hard court, maybe Australia or something like that.
“I said it could have been my last match. I didn’t say it was. So I don’t know right now – 12 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 in 12 months’ time here again? I don’t know. I don’t know. So, yeah, I mean, that’s all I can say for the moment.”
They are comments that will fuel rumours Djokovic may retire from tennis if he fails to win an eighth Wimbledon title, with that tournamnet set to get underway on the final day of June.
According to former world No 1 Mats Wilander, Djokovic’s performance against Sinner confirmed he can still compete with the best, with these comments given to TNT Sports before the Serbian spoke to the media and hinited he may be close to ending his record breaking career.
Novak. Djokovic.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/KhCeAsR016
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 6, 2025
“We have learnt Novak Djokovic is not going anywhere even though he is 38,” declared Wilander.
“We know that grass is his best chance and if he get to the semi-finals of Roland-Garros and push the world number one the way he did today, on a grass court he will be extremely dangerous and that will probably be the best chance he has to win his 25th major. He’s not done there though, he has a chance at the US Open too.
“Theis was the best level of any match in the tournament. Novak played absolutely incredibly, I can’t believe he can still play that level at 38 years old. The hunger and motivation is there.
“But Jannik Sinner is the world No 1 and he plays so hard and so fast and to be in the final is absolutely brilliant; on a different surface is incredible. We are looking at greatness for both players.
“He was really close in the second set, but Novak was playing unbelievable. He was hitting his forehand so hard and then played with a little bit of variation but his forehand was just brilliant.
“The one thing we will never know is if the Novak Djokovic of today is as good as the one ten years ago. I think he is pretty close, but the difference is Jannik Sinner is 15 years younger.”
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