Novak Djokovic Breaks Silence on Retirement Talks After John McEnroe Made Final Verdict During Wimbledon

In a rather long walk from the locker room to the hall right before he entered the Centre Court, Novak Djokovic was deep in his thoughts as everyone watching wondered “What must be going through his mind right now?” The last time the Serbian was on that grass court, he faced a tough challenge in Flavio Cobolli. But what was more difficult was what looked like a gruesome slip he had in the final match of the QF game. With just two points to send Djokovic to his record 14th SF at the championship, Cobolli’s response got the Serbian to change his directions quickly for a forehand attempt.

However, the slick grass on the baseline bent his leg awkwardly, resulting in a “nasty” split, as Djokovic called it. Still, he ended Cobolli’s run with 6-7, 6-2, 7-5, 6-4. But after a two-day break, he returned to face yet another challenger in Jannik Sinner. As he entered the Centre Court, the crowd greeted him with a roar of applause. But his run for a historic 25th Grand Slam came to a quick end with a straight-sets defeat (6-3, 6-3, 6-4) to Sinner despite winning 10 games. While the injury did not stop him from entering the game, the signs lingered, especially when he was seen limping after the first set.

The BBC commentator for the match and the ATP legend John McEnroe also commented, “It’s the first time ever I’ve looked at him and thought ‘I’m not sure if he’s going to come back’. That’s obviously a decision that’s up to him and he can play for as long as he wants. I don’t know if he can accept being a notch or two below these guys.” But Djokovic had his answer prepared. The Tennis Letter tweeted Djokovic’s post-game presser via Wimbledon Press where a reporter asked, “Would you be sad if that was your last match on Centre Court, to go off like that?” Novak was honest as he replied:

“I would be sad, but hopefully it’s not my last match on Centre Court. I’m not planning to finish my Wimbledon career today. I’m planning to come back definitely at least one more time, play on the Centre Court for sure. I’ve put everything I possibly can when it comes to training and preparing myself so I can play my best at Grand Slams. I think, regardless of the fact that I haven’t won a Grand Slam this year, or last year, I still feel like I continue to play my best tennis at Grand Slams.”

It is worth mentioning how Djokovic’s injury worries started even before the match. He canceled his scheduled practice at Aorangi Park, raising questions about his fitness. By early evening, he hadn’t rescheduled, fueling speculation about whether he was ready for the semifinal test. Maybe he just needed more time to get back on his feet.

Still, now that the Serb reassured that this isn’t his final act at SW19, the rumors can take a backseat. He promised to return—and maybe, just maybe, he’ll chase that elusive eighth title and meet Roger Federer with an eighth title here? Until then, we can hope he comes back stronger for the hard-court season!

Even during his SF SW19 game, McEnroe said, “We’re going to pay our respects obviously for the great Novak Djokovic, who battled despite being somewhat limited. He’s going to have a lot of thinking to do over the course of the next month or so.” Pointing to Carlos Alcaraz, who beat Novak Djokovic in the last two Wimbledon finals, and Sinner, who now leads their head-to-head 6-4.

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But this isn’t the first time Novak has sparked retirement talk. As the last of the Big Three still standing, he’s faced these questions all season, especially after his straight-sets loss to Jannik at the French Open. “This could have been the last match ever, I played here – I don’t know. That’s why it was a bit more emotional at the end,” he confessed in a post-match interview.

Still, rest assured, he doesn’t plan on leaving yet. Although he’s kept it real about his age catching up this season.

Novak Djokovic opens up about his body “failing” him

Back in January at the Australian Open, the Serb faced Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals and pushed through some clear physical issues. He managed to reach the semifinals against Alexander Zverev, but the challenge proved too much. He dropped the first set 7-6(5) and then suffered a muscle tear that made things worse. Realizing he couldn’t go on, Djokovic retired, handing the match to the German.

The moment stunned the crowd, but Djokovic opened up about his future, saying, “This is probably the new reality I have to accept—that my body will probably betray me more often than it has throughout my entire career.”

Last year at the French Open, he tore the medial meniscus in his right knee and had to withdraw despite making the quarterfinals. Djokovic admitted, “How much I’ll be able to put up with that and endure that, I honestly don’t know now. Let’s see what happens this season. Here in Melbourne, it could have been better, but it could have been worse. I’m still a bit hot-headed, but there are certainly a lot of positives to take away from this tournament.”

After Melbourne, things didn’t get easier. Novak Djokovic made it to his first final of the 2025 season at the Miami Open, aiming for his 100th title. But an eye infection threw him off. Fans saw him using eye drops during changeovers against Jakub Mensik, but the pain was too much, and the title slipped away.

He finally reached the 100-title milestone at the Geneva Open, just before Roland Garros. Still, the question remains—when, or if, he’ll capture that elusive 25th Grand Slam. The suspense is real.

Now, as Wimbledon heads into its final days with Jannik Sinner set to face Carlos Alcaraz in the Sunday final, all eyes are still on Djokovic. Can he bounce back for another Grand Slam run? Stay tuned and follow all the action on our Wimbledon Live Blog!