Novak Djokovic says his desire to play tennis is still there but he has admitted ‘things can change quickly’. At 36 years old, the Serbian superstar is still capable of producing world-class performances having picked up his 22nd Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in Melbourne earlier this year. But he knows his career is steadily approaching its end point.
With Rafael Nadal recently announcing his intentions to retire in 2024, Djokovic has admitted he’s had food for thought as the final member of the ‘big three’ left playing, with Roger Federer calling it a day last September. Speaking about his future, Djokovic said at the French Open: “I am being completely honest with you guys.
“I have asked this question also, but it’s not like I think about it all the time. The desire is still there, but things can change quickly – I am 36, I’ve been a pro for 20 years. I don’t like to look at age as a decisive factor, I pay attention to what my general state is like and whether I enjoy it.
“History is on the line, and it’s been like that for more than five years now. Almost any tournament there is something like ’oh, now you can achieve this or break this record’. I think I’ve broken a lot of records, but that still pushes me to keep going.
“That is one of the biggest reasons why I keep playing. At this level, I feel you need to set clear goals and to have a path you’ll follow in order to achieve them. That kind of attitude brought me to the place I am now. On the other hand, things change, new kids are coming and we’ll see how long I want to keep pushing.”
Coming into the French Open, Djokovic is among the favourites to take home the title, however, there are concerns about his condition. Since winning the Australian Open in January, Djokovic was beaten in straight sets by Daniil Medvedev in the Dubai Tennis Championships semi-finals.
He was then forced to miss the Indian Wells Masters and Miami Masters after his US visa application was denied due to his refusal to get a Covid vaccine. Further disappointment followed in Monaco as he was dumped out of the tournament in the third round by Lorenzo Musetti.
After that the Serb suffered back-to-back quarter-final losses at the Banja Luka Open and Italian Open to fellow countryman Dusan Lajovic and world No 6 Hulgar Rune. Yet Djokovic remains fairly upbeat about his recent decline in form and reminded assembled media that he always ‘peaks’ at Roland Garros, where he is a two-time champion.
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