Novak Djokovic hints at what may come next as he is forced to retire in Six Kings Slam
Novak Djokovic’s fitness issues rose to the surface again a she was forced to quit his Six Kings Slam exhibition match against Taylor Fritz and he offered an intriguing update on what may come next for him in the final weeks of 2025.
There were gasps around a packed arena in Riyadh as Djokovic was forced to call time on his match with Fritz after he lost the first set tie-break, in a story that was reminiscent of his retirement after the first set of his Australian Open semi-final against Alexander Zverev last January.
This was another case of Djokovic’s body letting him down and he felt the need to apologise to the fans.
“I want to apologise to everybody, sorry guys, I’m sorry you couldn’t see the second set,” Djokovic said.
“But credit to Taylor, I mean, we had some incredible games towards the end of that set, and it was one of the longest sets I’ve ever played, to be honest. It was amazing to be in Riyadh once again.
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“I want to thank everybody for really welcoming me here. This is the third time I have been here in three years, and hopefully, if I keep on going next year, I’ll be back, if you guys want me here.”
The only tournament Djokovic has confirmed he will play in what is left of 2025 is an ATP Tour 250 event in Athens in early November, but he will have a chance to play in the ATP Finals in Turin after that and his final comments as he left the court in Riyadh suggested that lucrative end-of-season tournament may be on his mind.
“Now it’s rest and really addressing some of the issues I have with my body,” added Djokovic. “Then hopefully playing the last couple of tournaments of the season, let’s see.”
Djokovic’s eagerness to continue his career is clear, but his body is not allowing him to compete at the highest level, with former British No 1 Tim Henman insisting the Serbian legend should not be under any pressure to call time on his career.
“He made four Grand Slam semi-finals this year and that is a phenomenal achievement, but when you have played five matches to get there and then you are coming up against these youngsters who are at the peak of their powers, he’s not been able to come up with the solutions,” Henman told Tennis365.
“What I always say about these great players is they should play as long as they want. They have earned the right to play as long as they want.
“If they are enjoying it, keep playing. It’s the best job in the world. You are a long time retired.
“It will be interesting to see how Djokovic approaches 2026, what his schedule is like and his level of play.”
Djokovic will now have a few weeks to consider whether he is fit enough to play in Athens and at the ATP Finals, before he turns his attention to the next Grand Slam on his agenda at the Australian Open in January.
