Novak Djokovic Opens Retirement Topic After Australian Open Withdrawal
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Novak Djokovic was disappointed after having to retire from his semi-final match against Alexander Zverev at the 2025 Australian Open.
Djokovic enjoyed unprecedented success in Melbourne. Over the years, he managed to win ten trophies at the Australian Open, and this year, he was eyeing his 11th. That would also be his 25th Grand Slam title.
He stunningly beat Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals of the tournament. However, in his semi-final match against Alexander Zverev, the 37-year-old Serbian was forced to retire after just one set of play.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion admitted already after his match against Alcaraz that he considered retiring from the match, but he fought and ultimately won the match.
That wasn't possible against Zverev, as Djokovic knew that after losing the first set, he would have to battle for a very long time, which wasn't possible with increasing pain.
On top of that, he admitted that also if he had won the opening set, he likely wouldn't have completed the match, which just shows how painful the injury was.
Speaking during his post-match press conference, Djokovic spoke more about the injury, revealing that it was a muscle tear, similar to the one he had two years ago. This time, however, it was likely bigger, as it was causing more pain to him.
"I mean, look, it's a muscle tear. Two years ago, you know, I have managed it better. On the court it didn't bother me as much. This time that wasn't the case. So in these kind of instances I guess have you to try to do as much as you possibly can in the shortest amount of time, and that was the case."
During the press conference, Djokovic was also asked whether this Australian Open could be his last. From the last two majors, he had to retire or withdraw from two, which isn't a positive outlook for the future.
Until now, Djokovic never really entertained the topic of retiring. He always maintained that he could still compete for a long time, but this time, he changed the narrative a little bit.
Maybe also disappointed by having to retire from the match, the 37-year-old admitted that this could have been his last Australian Open.
"I don't know. There is a chance. Who knows? I'll just have to see how the season goes. I want to keep going, but whether I'm going to have a revised schedule or not for the next year, I'm not sure."
At the same time, Djokovic admitted that as long as he is healthy and motivated enough to compete, he will, of course, come to Australia, where he enjoyed so much success in his tennis career.
"I normally like to come to Australia and play, and I've had the biggest success in my career here, so if I'm fit, healthy, and motivated, I don't see a reason why I wouldn't come. But there's always a chance."
