Novak Djokovic is tired of being constantly questioned about retirement and that elusive 25th Grand Slam title. He is so exhausted by it that on Friday, following his defeat to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semifinals, he brought up his career track record to remind everyone that his statistics bear no comparison in the world of tennis.
Minutes after bidding farewell to the London grass, the Serb sat in the press conference room and, visibly drained, confronted the narrative that has obsessively pursued him for the last three years: the blind chase for his 25th Grand Slam title.
“I find this reality hard to accept,” Djokovic began by confessing, in a press conference with Serbian media, as reported by Sasa Ozmo on Sportsklub.
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At 39 years old, the Belgrade native has spent several seasons limiting his schedule and saving himself for the major events. However, his Major counter stalled in September 2023 with his last US Open. Since then, overcoming Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz has become his own personal Everest. The 25th does not arrive, and with each passing day, the goal feels further away.
“It’s not the ultimate goal. A lot of people put pressure on me — people in my inner circle, and the media. It’s as if I’m not enough for myself, and then others pile an extra weight on top. As if 24 weren’t enough and it had to be 25, as if 100 tournaments weren’t enough and it had to be 110, as if 400 weeks at number one weren’t enough and it had to be 1,000 weeks,” the Serb fired back, somewhere between irony and weariness.
Djokovic’s reflection exposes one of the great paradoxes of modern sport: the insatiable demands of the environment, capable of downplaying an unparalleled record if the next numerical milestone is not met. After falling just short of the final at the All England Club, the Serbian champion threw a question into the air, seeking to strip away the weight of the statistics.
“I’m tired of talking about when the 25th will come… and what if it never does? What then? Does that make it an unsuccessful career? I’d retire that phrase ‘ultimate goal’, because it isn’t one for me,” sentenced the most decorated tennis player of all time.
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At 39, and having won absolutely everything, Djokovic advocates for a more human and pragmatic look at tennis, understanding that the margins in a sport like tennis are always razor-thin. “I could certainly have won five more Grand Slams in finals where I had the match in my hands, and I could also have lost five where I won nearly impossible matches. That’s all sport, and that’s all life.”
“I’d like people to respect my choice and not pressure me about when I’ll retire… simply respect my space, my time, my decisions,” the Serb concluded. “When it comes, it’ll come. There are more reasons to celebrate than to be sad.”
