Djokovic Drops Major Retirement Hint After Loss To Sinner At Roland Garros
NewsSaturday, 07 June 2025 at 10:10
Novak Djokovic might have played his final Roland Garros after losing to Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals of the tournament.
Djokovic is already 38. That is the age at which many athletes already enjoy their retirement, but in tennis, the Big Three of Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer changed what is perceived as normal.
All three managed to have incredible success late into their 30s, and even at 38, Djokovic challenges for Grand Slams every time he competes. Although he has yet to win one since the 2023 US Open, the Serbian just continues playing exceptionally well in all the big matches he plays.
That also happened against Sinner in the semi-finals of the Roland Garros, even though Djokovic lost in three sets. His Italian opponent just played an almost flawless match, but that doesn't take anything away from the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
After losing, Djokovic had an emotional moment on the court. He kissed his hand and touched the clay on the Court Philippe Chatrier, and when asked about the moment after the match, the three-time Roland Garros champion admitted that it was likely the last match of his career at the French Open.
"This could have been the last match ever I played here. I don't know. That's why I was a bit more emotional even in the end. But if this was the farewell match at the Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd."
"Twelve months at this point in my career is quite a long time. Do I wish to play more? Yes, I do. But will I be able to play in 12 months' time here again? I don't know. That's all I can say for the moment."
Throughout his career, Djokovic has had it very difficult at Roland Garros. Most of the time, he had to battle against the legend of the tournament, Rafael Nadal, who now even has a plaque on the clay of the Court Philippe Chatrier.
Nadal was just the fan favorite every time he played in Paris, which meant any time Djokovic played against him, he rarely received more support than the Spaniard. This time, against Sinner, he was the legend of the sport that everyone wanted to see succeed, especially because of how bravely he fought.
Djokovic received incredible support from the crowd, which he enjoyed and appreciated. That's why he wanted to thank the fans after the match.
"The kind of support I received tonight was incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever received this much support on this stadium in my career in big matches against the best players in the world. I’m very very honored to experience that."
"Obviously not the happiest, because of the loss. But I tried to show my gratitude to the crowd. Because they were terrific in the moments when it seemed like it was going all his way, they would lift me up. They would encourage me and give me the strength to keep going and fight til the last ball, which I did."
Djokovic also congratulated his opponent. Sinner played an exceptional match to win in straight sets and set up a final meeting with Carlos Alcaraz.
"Congratulations to Jannik for another very good and solid performance. Mentally, he deserves big credit for hanging in there in the tough moments when the whole stadium was cheering. He was set points down and he managed to find some really good shots. He showed why he’s the No. 1 in the world. He was just too solid for me tonight."
For Djokovic, the Roland Garros was yet another positive showing after reaching the semi-finals at the Australian Open earlier this year, but yet again, he just couldn't make the final two steps to win his 25th Grand Slam title.
Now, the Serbian will prepare for the grass-court part of the season. His chances of winning the 25th major will be the highest at the Wimbledon Championships.
Popular News
Just In
