Novak Djokovic is in no rush to walk away from tennis — not while he’s still competing at the very top.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has made it clear that retirement will only come when his level drops,
not when the calendar says it should. Speaking this week at the World Sports Summit in Dubai, the 38-year-old Serbian reiterated that his future in the sport remains wide open.
“I do want to keep on going,” Djokovic said. “As long as you feel you’re playing at a high level and your body holds on — why not?”
Despite playing just 13 tournaments in 2025, Djokovic finished the year ranked world No. 4, behind only Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev. He remains the only player over 30 inside the ATP top 20, a staggering statistic in a sport increasingly dominated by youth.
Djokovic’s 2025 season was quietly remarkable. He reached the semi-finals of all four Grand Slams, captured his 100th career ATP title at the Geneva Open, and added another trophy at the Hellenic Championship in Athens.
While rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have retired, Djokovic is still chasing history. His biggest test now is breaking the stranglehold of Alcaraz and Sinner — who have shared the last eight Grand Slam titles between them — if he is to achieve his dream of winning a historic 25th Grand Slam.
Djokovic has previously mentioned the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 as a possible endpoint — he would be 41 by then — but he insists it’s more of a guiding idea than a hard deadline.
“Honestly, there’s no limit,” he said. “It’s about passion and love for the game.”
For now, Djokovic is firmly in the fight. He will open his next season at the Adelaide International, a tournament he won in 2023.
