Djokovic, the passage of time, and an inevitable retirement: "It's closer than ever"

Andrés Tomás Rico | 23 Jul 2026 | 21.41

Djokovic, the passage of time, and an inevitable retirement: "It's closer than ever". Photo: Gettyimages

Streaming ATP Kitzbuhel live tennis

🎾 Alexander Bublik vs Tomas Martin Etcheverry

Sign up with Bet365 here
Make your first deposit of at least €5
Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

Novak Djokovic has made it clear: "My retirement is closer than ever." This is how the winner of 24 Grand Slams has spoken during his appearance at the Fanatics Fest in New York. While his tennis skills, determination, and competitive hunger are still there, the years are beginning to weigh on him. If in the past he was annoyed by the constant questions about his future retirement, this time the 39-year-old player was the one who opened the door.

Despite reaching six of the last seven Grand Slam semifinals, defeating the world number one, Jannik Sinner, at the Australian Open, and pushing Carlos Alcaraz to step up his game to win the Melbourne final, age has become Djokovic's main opponent. This was evident in the last Wimbledon, where he showcased his tennis prowess from the very first match. Hopes of witnessing him lift his 25th Grand Slam emerged once again, but the grueling five-hour and fifteen-minute quarterfinal battle against Félix Auger-Aliassime left him depleted and devoid of ideas for the subsequent match with the Italian.

20 years ago today, Novak Djokovic won his first ATP title in Amersfoort and received a 30GB iPod pic.twitter.com/d3V9RLeWS2
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) July 23, 2026

Novak Djokovic starts to open the door to a possible tennis retirement

With each passing tournament, the gap in skills between Djokovic and Alcaraz and Sinner widens, but the Serbian continues to fight. However, he is fully aware of what the future holds: "I still feel that I can compete at the highest level, and the results prove it. I can still stay somewhat active occasionally, but yes, the moment is approaching."

One of the biggest fears of tennis legends, and athletes in general, is facing retirement and ending what they have done for over 20 years. His two historic rivals, Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, saw their careers wane due to injuries and a tennis game that is becoming faster and more intense, not waiting for anyone or anything. Djokovic, who has been spared from injuries, is aware of this.

"There is a category of athletes who want to retire at the top, another category who want to retire because their bodies do not respond, and another category who are simply defeated by others and realize they cannot continue. Or maybe it's all of that," he emphasized.

During the past two years, in all the Grand Slams where the Balkan player has fallen, there has been a sense of farewell lingering in the air. Certain gestures, like the one last year at Roland Garros, where he kissed the clay court, and certain statements, such as those made this year in Paris where he admitted not knowing if he would compete again in the tournament he won three times, suggest that his departure is a matter of time. But for now, he resists taking the final step.

It is the moment of making the decision that intrigues Djokovic the most: "Honestly, I find it amazing to hear about the greatest figures of all time and how they approached this process of, in a way, letting go," confessed the Belgrade player, while recalling the words of one of the greatest tennis players in history: "Andre Agassi is one of the all-time greats, of course. He participated in my documentary and said: 'I don't know when the end will come for Novak, but I'm sure that when it comes, it will come quickly'."

An assertion that the Serbian agrees with: "I think he is right. Of course, I would lie if I said I don't have those thoughts. I do. And I don't know if there is a perfect way to retire. So, I keep trying to enjoy the competition, and we will talk about this later," concluded Novak Djokovic, who continues to fight on as his body and destiny begin to point to another path.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Djokovic, el paso del tiempo y una retirada inevitable: "Está más cerca que nunca"

ATP