Novak Djokovic confirms planned retirement date but admits he might be forced to quit earlier
Novak Djokovic has made no secret of his planned retirement date, but he has admitted he may not achieve his aim of playing well beyond his 40th birthday and making a final appearance at the Olympic Games.
Djokovic realised one of his final great ambitions when he won the gold medal for Serbia at last year’s Paris Olympics, with the 24-time Grand Slam champion struggling to find motivation to play some key events this year.
He pulled out of this week’s ATP Finals, citing an injury, after leaving his decision to withdraw until the evening before the showpiece event of the ATP Tour season got underway in Turin.
His announcement confirming his absence sparked fresh question marks over whether he would continue to play in 2026 as the final line did not include what is a familiar sentiment of hoping to play again at the ATP Finals next year.
He posted on his Instagram story: “I was really looking forward to competing in Turin and giving my best, but after today’s final in Athens, I’m sad to share that I need to withdraw due to an ongoing injury.
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“I’m truly sorry to the fans who were hoping to see me play – your support means so much.
“I wish all the players an amazing tournament, and I can’t wait to be back on the court with you all soon.”
Djokovic has been criticised for his late withdrawal from the ATP Finals after he was included in the initial draw, but it appears his retirement from tennis may not be as imminent as many expected.
Speaking after he beat Lorenzo Musetti to win the ATP 250 event in Athens, he again stated his desire to finish his career at the 2028 Olympics, but it is clear that he now has big question marks over that ambition after a couple of years that has seen his body let him down time and again as he battles against the ageing process after a gruelling career.
“I’ve always had this throughout my life and my career, I’ve always had a schedule in my head for a year or more, what I want, how I want it,” he told reporters.
“Since I’ve achieved absolutely all possible goals, I said about the 2028 Olympics because I wanted to play for so many more years. So maybe ending up at the Olympic Games with the Serbian flag, that would be nice.”
He then pondered whether that ambition was realistic, as he added this note of uncertainty: “I don’t know, I mean, I really don’t know, because there are some things that are not entirely in my control. I’m trying to be as healthy as possible mentally and physically.”
After a year that has been hampered by injuries, it is hard to believe Djokovic will continue to play for another three seasons to make that appearance in the Olympics, unless he plays an even more limited tournament schedule in a bid to try and reach his end game in the summer of 2028.
