2026-03-06 12:18:19
Novak Djokovic sees no reason to end his tennis career if he keeps competing at the highest level.
The Serbian tennis legend reached the Australian Open final in January – enjoying a memorable five-set win against Jannik Sinner in the semi-final before coming up short against Carlos Alcaraz in the showpiece – and says his performance proved to him why he should continue battling on the court.
Djokovic, 38, told reporters at Indian Wells: “It was an incredible feeling to beat Sinner in five sets in one of the most epic matches I’ve played in Australia in recent years.
“Then I had another great match with Carlos, who was simply too good in the end.
“For me, it was a phenomenal result. More than anything, I proved to myself – and to others – that I can still compete at the highest level and beat these guys.
“My logic is simple: why stop as long as I still have the fire, the flair, the quality and the motivation?”
Djokovic is ranked at number three in the world and believes that his results at Grand Slam events prove that he is still at the top level.
The 24-time major winner said: “That’s not too bad in terms of ranking, results and performances. I’m still competitive. I still have that edge – and I’ll keep going for as long as I feel like it.”
Djokovic recently suggested that he would like to continue playing until the defence of his Olympic title at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Speaking during an appearance at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics last month, the former world number one said: “It’s far away, yes. At this stage of my life and career, it’s far off, but obviously I have the desire to get there.
“God knows what happens tomorrow, let alone in six or 12 months, so it has been a great ride.
“That’s why I left it open. I really don’t know. You’ve followed me for a long time and I don’t pretend or fake things. I told you for the last year or year and a half that I’m not sure how much and what is next.
“I said I’d like to play until the 2028 Olympics, but that might mean playing one tournament a year, maybe 10, 15, two, or seven – I honestly don’t know.”
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