Novak Djokovic has once again found himself at the center of swirling speculation about his future in the sport, with many questioning whether the curtain is slowly drawing on his legendary career. The conversation, reignited over the past year and a half, stems from his recent Grand Slam drought—a rare dry spell for a player of his stature. Yet, for someone who holds the title of the most decorated male tennis player in history, with 24 major trophies to his name, the drive clearly remains intact as he eyes a historic 25th title at Roland Garros.
Coming off a milestone victory in Geneva—where he secured his 100th career title—Djokovic has opened his campaign in Paris with trademark precision and composure, navigating the first two rounds with minimal fuss. Despite the chatter about his potential retirement, the Serbian star looks far from done. And now, a powerful endorsement has arrived from none other than women’s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who strongly pushed back against the critics eager to write Djokovic’s tennis eulogy.
“Leave him alone,” said Sabalenka. “You are trying to put as much pressure as you can on Novak.
“Leave him alone. Look at him. He’s fit, strong. Mentally, physically, I think he’s ready to play, I don’t know, another two, three years. He’s doing really well. Of course there are up-and-downs, everyone has them.
“I believe the older you get, the tougher it gets to stay consistent on the level. But we see whenever he’s ready, whenever he’s healthy and fit, he’s there, and he’s playing great tennis. So just leave him alone. Let him just be. Imagine if he is going to retire tomorrow, then everyone is going to be sad, no?”
Her comments hit a nerve with many fans who, like her, are reluctant to imagine the sport without one of its modern icons. Sabalenka also reflected emotionally on the recent tribute to Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros, where Djokovic, alongside fellow legends Roger Federer and Andy Murray, shared the stage to honor the 14-time French Open champion.
“It was so sad to see the ceremony, the ‘Big Four’ were on the court and you understand that three of them retired, everyone missing their games,” added Sabalenka.
“So let’s just let Novak to be there to show and fight and show his greatness and to inspire that generation.”
While his on-court presence is still commanding, Djokovic isn’t completely immune to the physical challenges that come with age. A nagging blister caused a delay during his second-round encounter with Frenchman Corentin Moutet, raising concerns about his ability to recover quickly between matches. However, the Serbian ace brushed aside any major concerns when asked if his age is beginning to catch up with him in terms of recovery.
“The recovery time is not much longer,” he insisted. “I’m pretty fit at the moment. I don’t feel like I have any major issues,” the three-time Roland Garros winner.
“Although it took me almost an hour to deal with the blister and the bleeding that I had. So that was not really a pleasant process.
“But I don’t think it’s going to be an issue for me to recover. Good thing about Slams, obviously you have a day in between, so plenty of time to recover and get ready for the next one.”
Up next for Djokovic is Austria’s Filip Misolic—a fresh challenge that the Serbian will tackle with his trademark grit, keen to silence the doubters once again. With history on the line and the clay beneath his feet, Djokovic isn’t just chasing records; he’s out to remind the tennis world that greatness doesn’t age—it endures.