Was that Novak Djokovic’s Last Australian Open? The Grand Slam King Is Not Ready To Say It

Posted by Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday January 24, 2025

Novak Djokovic‘s bid for a record 25th major title ended in tragedy as the Grand Slam king was forced to pull the plug after a set against Alexander Zverev due to a torn muscle in his left leg.

But the 37-year-old Djokovic still has some positives in his run to the semi-finals.

“I actually thought I played pretty well, as I’ve played for the last 12 months, to be honest,” he said. “I liked my chances when I’m in shape, yes, I’m fit and ready to fight. I liked my chances today. Who knows? Of course, it wouldn’t be an easy fight, an easy game for me…

“But as I said, I think I was hitting the ball very well. There are a lot of positives to take from the way I played in the semi-finals. It is a very good result considering the circumstances. But it’s not satisfactory to me, you know, by my standards. I’m always looking for a high goal, reaching the finals and fighting for the cup.”

It’s a tough way to start the season, but Djokovic believes he can win more majors as long as he stays fit and healthy.

“I will continue,” he said. “You know, I’ll keep fighting to win more slams. And as long as I feel like I want to endure all this, I’ll be there.”

Djokovic confirmed the nature of his injury and said that he could not recover in time. Known for his resilience, Djokovic has lifted two Australian Open titles after suffering serious injuries. This year, he couldn’t summon the magic, though.

“It tears a muscle,” said Djokovic. “Two years ago, you know, I managed it better. On the court it didn’t bother me that much. This time it was not. So in these types of situations I think you try to do as much as you can in a very short amount of time, and it was.

“I had an extra day, so there is no game for two days. So I thought it would be good enough maybe. But yeah, it wasn’t like that, unfortunately.”

Despite the disappointment, the Serbian legend vows to soldier on in 2025 in the hunt for more Grand Slam glory. But he was not ready to say that he would return to Australia in 2026. Asked if he might have played his last game in Melbourne, he said:

“There is an opportunity. Who knows? I’ll have to see how the season goes. I want to continue. But whether I will have a revised schedule or not next year, I am not sure.

“Normally I like to come to Australia to play. I have had great success in my work here. So if I’m healthy, I’m healthy, I’m motivated, I don’t see a reason why I shouldn’t come.”

As for the immediate future, Djokovic plans to play in Doha next month, but he is not sure if he will be ready to do so.

“I still have the Doha tournament in a few weeks scheduled,” he said. “Whether I will play it or not, depends on how quickly I recover. But I had success with a quick recovery in the past. Let’s see. It just depends on the tissue and how it responds to treatment.”