Novak Djokovic signed up for the 2022 Tel Aviv Open mostly to accompany his friend Jonathan Erlich in doubles, but the Israeli player got injured before his farewell and so the 21-time Grand Slam champion focused only in singles.
The Serbian was by far the biggest favourite to win the title and in the final, he met the second most-experienced player in the draw, Marin Cilic. Novak Djokovic managed to beat the Croat and became the first person to win a title on all three surfaces in 2022. Yet, a very interesting moment came after the final match when he spoke about his retirement at the press conference, saying:
"I played a lot of tennis this week, that's what I wanted and why I came to Israel. I didn't have time to go sightseeing to be honest, but I enjoyed the beach, I spent at least an hour there every day, I jogged, I rode my bike, I swam... I walked around the old town a bit and saw a bit of history."
"I was in Jerusalem a long time ago, I am familiar with the country, I will definitely come back here, not for a tennis tournament but as a tourist, to travel around the country and feel Israel, but also to thank all the people for the treatment I received here this week. I am grateful for that and for the connection I made with the people of Tel Aviv," Djokovic said.
"I'm not close to retirement, I don't want to think too much about it. Roger had a beautiful send-off at Laver Cup in London. We were all there, with his family, to say goodbye to him at a magnificent event in a magnificent arena. It must have been special for him and there is no doubt that he deserved it. One thing I know is that I will definitely want my great rivals to come and say goodbye to me," Djokovic concluded.
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