Novak Djokovic has responded to retirement rumors following his defeat to Thiago Agustín Tirante at the Cincinnati Open. The 24-time Grand Slam champion made it clear that he does not intend to “truly hang up the racket.”
Novak Djokovic reflects on family and retirement rumors as his tennis career enters its twilight
The Serbian tennis legend was asked whether he could see himself playing until the age of 44, like Serena Williams. He told People, “It doesn’t depend only on the body. I don’t want to be missing out on different events of close family members.”
The 39-year-old, who shares a personal side of his life in the new Prime Video documentary, Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter, said he has had an incredibly fulfilling and successful professional career. He also acknowledged that individual athletes have to be somewhat selfish when pursuing their careers, while those around them continue to offer their support.
Asked what he would do with his free time once he retired from tennis, Djokovic said, “I’m not going to truly hang up the racket. I might stop competing at the highest professional level, but I’m going to continue playing tennis because I love tennis.”
Djokovic is married to his high school love, Jelena Djokovic, and they share two children. “I owe a lot to my children. They teach me on a daily basis how to forgive, how to stay present, how to enjoy the moment, how to be playful with life,” the tennis player said.
Djokovic’s comments came after several tennis fans called for him to retire at the end of the season following his performance. One of many wrote on X, “I’m a Djokovic fan, but it’s time he retires. He [doesn’t] play for weeks and comes to Cincinnati out of shape. He gets beaten by a player who’s not rated high. His days are over.”
Djokovic is now preparing for the US Open, which begins on August 30. He is also scheduled to compete in mixed doubles with Aryna Sabalenka.
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