Nearing 40, having already secured almost every major record in tennis and now limited by the dominance of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic continues to play for moments like the one he experienced on Tuesday, November 4, in Athens.
And although the idea of retirement has crossed his mind more than once, the Serbian always ends up thinking, whenever someone asks if he will soon hang up his racquet: “Why do I need to get this question all the time?”
“I think I’ve earned the right to play for as long as I really want. Stan Wawrinka gets asked that a lot too — and I’ve heard his interviews and thought he was absolutely right when he said: ‘Hey guys, leave me alone. Let me play, let me enjoy myself,’” the Serb told reporters after defeating Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo in the first round of the ATP 250 in Athens.
“Personally, I understand people’s curiosity, but right now that doesn’t exist in my head. Of course it’s crossed my mind a few times, but at the end of the day I’ve decided to simply play on my own terms — to play where I want to play, not where others think I should,” he added.
And it is there, in the Greek capital, in a basketball arena converted into a temporary tennis court, where Djokovic chose to be.
@novasportsgr 😢 Και οι κορυφαίοι λυγίζουν! Τα δάκρυα του Νόβακ Τζόκοβιτς!🎾 #Djokovic #Tennis #HellenicChampionship #Novasports ♬ πρωτότυπος ήχος – Novasports
From a sporting point of view, he has no need to be there. But the moment carries emotional weight: it is the tournament organised by his family, and it takes place in his new country of residence.
There, he connected with what is now his local crowd and lived a very emotional moment on court, breaking into tears as the tournament paid tribute to Nikola Pilic, the Croatian former player and coach that passed away in September, who was instrumental in Djokovic’s development.
His move to Greece comes as part of a package: both the ATP event and Djokovic’s family relocated from Belgrade to Athens amid tensions with the government of President Aleksandar Vucic, which, according to Serbian media, reportedly hastened his final decision.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion explained that the reason for the move was to find a calmer environment to continue raising his children, Stefan (11) and Tara (8), amid the constant travel of the tennis tour.
“To be honest, I didn’t plan it far in advance. Actually, in the last two years several things have happened and we’ve made new decisions, both personally and professionally. But that’s life. We have two young children and we’re trying to adapt and find the best environment for them. That’s our priority: that they grow up in an environment as healthy as possible for their psychological, physical and emotional wellbeing. Ultimately, that we can have more time together as a family,” he told SDNA.
Djokovic, already qualified for the ATP Finals in Turin after playing only 13 professional tournaments this season, hasn’t even confirmed his participation in the event that closes the ATP calendar.
Last year, he withdrew citing injury.
This year, it wouldn’t be surprising if he skipped a tournament he has already won seven times, despite Angelo Binaghi, president of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation (FITP), having confirmed his presence.
“I don’t know where he got that information from — definitely not from me or my team. I’ll decide at the end of the tournament,” Djokovic said in Greece, sitting in the press room of the event in his new home.
