24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic flatly dismissed rumors of retirement, saying he plans to continue playing into his 40s. He takes inspiration from sports icons like LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo and Tom Brady and tries to emulate their longevity.
Djokovic, who is currently competing in the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, stressed that extending his career is the main motivation and expressed curiosity about how far he can push his limits.
The Serbian star has faced challenges in recent years and has not won a major title since the 2023 US Open. Djokovic, the former world number one, stressed that he wants to remain part of the development of tennis in the coming years.
“Longevity is one of my biggest motivations. I really want to see how far I can go. If you see across all global sports, Lebron James is still going strong, he’s 40, Cristiano Ronaldo, Tom Brady played until he was 40, it’s unbelievable,” Djokovic told the Riyadh season.
Novak Djokovic has no plans to retire:
“Longevity is one of my biggest motivations. I want to see how far I can go.”
Kellerman: “The young guys are going to have to beat you into retirement. You’re not going to retire.”
Novak: “That’s not happening, sorry.”pic.twitter.com/JdscOqsHqu— Danny (@DjokovicFan_) October 16, 2025
“They inspire me. In the next few years, tennis is a sport that can be significantly transformed and I want to be part of that change. I want to play when we rejuvenate our sport and set a new platform that will continue for decades,” added Djokovic.
Djokovic reached the semifinals of all four Grand Slams this year, but failed each time. The 38-year-old recently took part in the Shanghai Masters where he was defeated by Valentin Vacherot, who went on to win the title by defeating his cousin Arthur Rinderknech in the finals.
The Serbian star has also battled injury concerns over the past 18 months. Since losing to world number one Jannik Sinner at last year’s French Open, Djokovic has dropped out of the top five after an astonishing 825 weeks at the elite level.
After a season marked by several early departures, the question remains how he will bounce back in the coming year.
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
October 17, 2025
