Greg Rusedski reveals when Novak Djokovic should call time on his career as he offers alternative view
Novak Djokovic has cast doubt over how much longer he will continue to play at the top of the sport and now former British No 1 Greg Rusedski has given his verdict on what the 24-time Grand Slam champion should do next.
Djokovic opted against playing the end-of-season ATP Finals last month, citing an injury as he pulled out a day before the tournament got underway in Turin.
There was a widespread expectation that Djokovic would not play in Turin after he pulled out of the tournament in 2024 and has spoken about his lack of motivation for playing regular tour events.
His focus in the final phase of his career is in Grand Slam tournaments, with Djokovic eager to remain a part of the game for a long as he can.
“Longevity is one of my biggest motivations and I really want to see how far I can go,” said Djokovic.
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“You see across all the global sports, you know, LeBron James is still going strong. Cristiano Ronaldo, Tom Brady played until he was 40. I want to keep going.
“I also want to live, I mean keep on playing professionally, to see the change that is coming for our sport and I’m super excited about it.
“The things that are happening that I can’t openly speak about at the moment, but I feel like in the next couple of years, I feel like tennis is a sport that can be and will be transformed.
“I want to be part of that change and not just part of that change, but I want to be playing when we rejuvenate our sport and set the platform that is going to be there for decades to come.”
He was then asked directly about retirement and he added: “It’s not happening. I’m sorry to disappoint them. It’s just not happening.”
Now Rusedski has given Djokovic some advice on when he should quit, as he suggested there could still be a chance for him to win the 25th Grand Slam title he craves if he gets some good fortune at Wimbledon in 2026.
“You know it’s time to retire when you are not enjoying it any more,” Rusedski told Tennis365, ahead of the launch of his new podcast, Off Court with Greg.
“He is still the third best player in the world, even though the rankings don’t say so.
“Can he beat Alcaraz and Sinner in three out of five sets back to back? Possibly not. Maybe at Wimbledon, but if he is still enjoying the challenge, why not try and stay out there.
“The biggest disappointment for Novak last year was when he beat Alcaraz at the Australian Open and then he had to pull out of the semi-final against (Alexander) Zverev with an injury. If he gets into the final in a one off match against Sinner, anything can happen.
“Now, he is probably going to need a bit of luck to win a major because beating those two guys back-to-back, I don’t know.
“What I will never do is write off a great champion. I’ve done that in the past and it didn’t work out well for me.”
Djokovic has yet to confirm his schedule for 2026, but he has yet to give any hint that he won’t be making the trip to Melbourne next month, where he will look to win a remarkable 11th Australian Open title.
