Proud father Srdjan Djokovic, says his son has already fulfilled all his wishes and suggests that the 2023 SW19 runner up will walk away from the sport in one and a half year.
Novak Djokovic has dominated the sport like none other in recent times as he came from behind to surpass Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the slam count while also setting the all-time record of most weeks spent as ATP #1 seed with 389 weeks. Despite all those accomplishments, the Serb is not going anywhere and has made it clear that he has not yet done with the sport for now.
However, Novak’s father says in the ideal sense 23-time Grand Slam winner would have already retired as the sport is very demanding both physically and mentally.
“It is my wish as a father, that is, I thought that he should have stopped playing a long time ago in this terribly difficult job,” he said on Sportal’s NOVAK Untold stories documentary.
“This is not a sport, this is terribly hard work, in every way, both physically and mentally. Because he still has very little of life because he is maximally dedicated to this job, it’s been 30 years and he doesn’t give up on it even a bit.”
Djokovic Sr. was hopeful that his son will call it a day in 2024.
“Novak fulfilled all my wishes seven or eight years ago. This rest is all bonus amazing. But that is not his whole life, tennis is only one segment of his life. He will only be recognized and known in the world by what he does after his career in tennis, from which he will leave, I hope, next year.”
Djokovic despite being on the wrong side of 30 (turned 36 in May), believes he can stay and give what it takes to stay at the top of the circuit.
Recording the first loss at Wimbledon Center Court since 2013, the Djoker as the call him joked that 36 is the new 26 and he is committed to challenge the young guns for as long as he is enjoying his game.
Completing the historic 23rd major a couple of months ago, the Serbian now has a +1 advantage against Nadal in the Grand Slam race after successfully exploiting on a Nadal-less Roland Garros this year.
Certainly not currently contemplating about the retirement, he shared the similar thoughts before the start of the tournament: “I won’t lie that I haven’t thought about retiring and what it would look like, but I still have gas in me. We’ll see how long it will take, I don’t have any date and a lot depends on the physical condition.
“What I was referring to when I said things weren’t the same, I was referring to how my body reacted. I recovered much faster, I have more difficulties and more pain and literally something happens on a weekly basis,” he explained.
“It depends on everything, on the mentality, how much motivation I have because I have already achieved everything in sports. I think about it, but I don’t think about it all the time. I don’t like to look at age as a deciding factor, I look at my condition and whether I’m enjoying it.”