Novak Djokovic makes candid retirement admission after Wimbledon loss – ‘That moment is closer than ever’

Oliver Paton 18 Jul 2026 1:45 PM

Novak Djokovic applauds the crowd

Novak Djokovic believes he can still ‘compete at the highest level’, though the 24-time Grand Slam champion admits that retirement is now ‘closer than ever’ as he moves further into the twilight of his career.

The Serb turned 39 in May but looked in impressive form during this year’s Wimbledon.

At SW19, he overcame third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in a stunning five-set battle which, at five hours and 15 minutes, was the longest quarter-final in tournament history.

As a result, Djokovic reached his eighth consecutive Wimbledon semi-final and recorded his 107th singles victory at the grass-court Grand Slam, surpassing Roger Federer’s mark of 105.

However, despite his admirable run to the last four, he was comfortably outplayed by eventual champion Jannik Sinner, who defeated the former world No 1 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 without dropping serve.

Following such a one-sided defeat to a player 15 years his junior, inevitable questions have once again emerged over when Djokovic may decide to hang up his racket.

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“I still feel that I can compete at the highest level; however, that moment [of retirement] is closer than ever,” the Serb said during an interview with ESPN.

“I don’t know if there is a perfect way to retire. Do I want to retire to the top? I will continue to enjoy my time on the court.”

Djokovic is currently tied with Margaret Court on a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles.

His most recent major triumph came at the 2023 US Open, where he defeated Daniil Medvedev. Since then, however, he has lost both of his Grand Slam finals appearances.

At the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, he was beaten by Carlos Alcaraz 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4), before suffering another defeat to the Spaniard at the 2026 Australian Open, losing 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 and seeing his previously perfect 10-0 record in Melbourne finals come to an end.

Shortly after his interview with ESPN, Djokovic appeared at Fanatics Fest alongside LeBron James.

The NBA legend expanded on the topic of retirement, with Djokovic appearing to nod in agreement as James delivered his thoughts.

“In sports there are always conversations like: ‘When will he retire? He has to do it. He’s this age, he’s that age’,” began James.

“But why? Why? Why are we trying to force people into retirement when they are still performing at a high level? Why are we trying to force a narrative of the right time to retire?

“If we look at people like Bruce Springsteen and some of the greatest musicians, the Rolling Stones have been on tour for 50, 60 years! And no one says to them: ‘Hey, don’t come to our city with your tour’.

“If we are still dedicating ourselves to the job, if we are still giving so much to sport, if we are not disrespecting the game and we are giving everything we have to sport and we are still making everyone earn money, why not?

“Why can’t I play if I still love what I do? I’m just trying to squeeze as much as I can from what I have left.”

Djokovic is next expected to return to the ATP Tour at the Cincinnati Open, the Masters 1000 event scheduled to take place from August 13-23.