Novak Djokovic is closer to retirement than he's ever been; however, it's still not particularly close as he's still dominant.
Retirement is one of those things that are not quite an exact science. An athlete doesn't know the exact date when it will happen, but generally, some indicators might signal it being close.
For Djokovic, those indicators are far away as he's still one of the best players in the world, arguably the best. He's always been clear about his potential retirement, too, because it will happen when he can't compete anymore.
He said it multiple times and confirmed it once more at the 2024 Australian Open in Melbourne after being asked following the demolition of Adrian Mannarino.
"I actually talked about it few times the last year or so, that I feel while being No. 1 and still on top of the game, I don't feel like leaving tennis in that position. I feel like I want to keep on going."
"When I feel that I am not able to compete at the highest level with the guys and be a contender for a Grand Slam title, then I'll probably consider going into retirement."
Djokovic's approach isn't anything new or shocking. It's been common practice for many tennis players. Even so, Djokovic wouldn't rule out a change in his stance as many things outside the tennis court might sway him away from tennis.
For now he's happy with there things are at. We'll see what the future holds.
"But that can change, obviously. I mean, a lot of things can change. I'm not a teenager anymore. I'm a father and a husband. A lot of things happening in the private life off court that I enjoy, that require my attention, my presence, my energy. Yeah, still I'm really blessed to be where I am. Let's see how far it goes."
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