Novak Djokovic dropped a hint about his retirement after losing the Australian Open final to Carlos Alcaraz. The 38-year-old reflected on his future and hinted uncertainty after falling short of a record 25th Grand Slam.
Australia may have seen the last of Novak Djokovic at Melbourne Park. On Sunday, the 38-year-old came within striking distance of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title, only to be denied by 22-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, who won the Australian Open in four sets, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5, across three hours and two minutes. Alcaraz also became the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam.
After the match, Djokovic hinted at uncertainty about his future in tennis. “God knows what happens tomorrow, let alone in six months or 12 months,” he said during his on-court speech. “It has been a great ride. I love you guys.”
Djokovic to keep pushing for Grand Slams
Djokovic acknowledged the difficulty of the tournament and the rising level of the next generation. “I knew that I’d probably have to beat two of them on the way to the title. I beat one, which is great… but not enough for me. I’m going to keep pushing and see if I get another chance,” he said during his post-final press conference.
Despite missing out on a chance to win the 11th Australian Open title, Djokovic reflected positively on his campaign. He beat two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner in the semifinals, ending a run of four consecutive Slam semifinal losses. He also noted that physical factors played a role in the final result.
“I remain disappointed with the way I felt in second and third after an incredible start, and I felt great about myself… But, when you draw a line and assess the last couple of weeks, it’s an incredible achievement for me to be able to play finals, be a couple of sets away maybe to win a championship,” Djokovic said.
Meanwhile,
Alcaraz praised Djokovic, saying: “Every time that I’m able to feel that aura from him on the other side of the net, for me it’s a privilege. It’s unbelievable what he’s doing. If he maintains this level of tennis during the whole season, he’s going to, you know, win great things. It depends how physically he is or how demanding physically is the tournament for him, but I think he’s ready to keep winning the big tournaments.”
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