Novak Djokovic hinted at the possibility of his last Australian Open after retiring from the semi-finals due to a muscle tear, ending his quest for a 25th Grand Slam title.
With his upper left leg heavily taped once again, the 37-year-old was forced to withdraw after losing the first set to Alexander Zverev. The Serbian player received a mix of boos and applause as he left the court, allowing Zverev to reach his first Melbourne final.
“There is a chance. Who knows,” Novak Djokovic said when asked if he might have graced the Melbourne Park courts for the last time.
“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.
“I normally like to come to Australia to play. 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,” he added.
“But there’s always a chance, yeah.”
Novak Djokovic’s latest setback means he has now missed out on winning a Grand Slam in the last five attempts, falling short of Margaret Court’s record of 24 titles. After failing to secure a Grand Slam victory in 2024, questions loom about whether Djokovic will ever surpass Court’s record.
The semi-final exit also prevented Djokovic from achieving his 100th career title.
“I actually thought I played really well, as well as I played in the last 12 months, to be honest,” he said about his tournament performance.
“I liked my chances if I was physically fit and ready to battle. I think I was striking the ball very well. A lot of positives to take in terms of how I played.
“I wish Sascha (Zverev) all the best. You know, he deserves his first Slam. I’ll be cheering for him.”
