MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic leaves the Australian Open nonetheless caught on 24 Grand Slam titles and with contemporary doubts about what number of extra tries he could have at profitable an outright-record twenty fifth.
The 38-year-old has persistently dismissed discuss of retirement and mentioned he’s eyeing the defence of his Olympic gold on the Los Angeles Video games in 2028.
However after shedding to Carlos Alcaraz in 4 units within the closing on Sunday, the Serb instructed he is probably not again in Melbourne.
“God is aware of what occurs tomorrow, not to mention in six months or 12 months,” he advised the gang at Rod Laver Enviornment.
“So it has been an incredible experience. I really like you guys.”
Djokovic has gained a file 10 Australian Opens and till Sunday had by no means misplaced a closing there.
However for all his success, Djokovic has not at all times had a simple relationship with the Melbourne followers.
“I wish to simply say in the long run that you simply guys, significantly the final couple of matches, gave me one thing that I’ve by no means skilled in Australia,” he mentioned.
“That a lot love, assist, positivity. I attempted to present you again with good tennis over time.”
It had the ring of a farewell speech and didn’t seem to have been simply an emotional response to defeat.
He mentioned he had ready two speeches, one for profitable and the opposite for shedding.
Faltering file
Djokovic gained his twenty fourth Grand Slam title on the US Open in 2023, drawing him degree with the Australian Margaret Court docket on the high of the all-time listing.
However age and accidents, plus the emergence of world primary Alcaraz and quantity two Jannik Sinner, have left him unable to win one other.
Earlier than Sunday, his earlier Grand Slam closing had been in 2024, when he misplaced the Wimbledon decider, once more to Alcaraz.
Final yr he reached the semi-finals of all 4 majors however obtained no additional, with Alcaraz and Sinner sharing the spoils.
He rolled again the years to defeat Sinner — 14 years his junior — in a five-set semi-final marathon in Melbourne.
However after Djokovic gained the primary set, the 22-year-old Alcaraz took a stranglehold on the ultimate to comb to victory 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5.
Underlining the place Djokovic is now within the pecking order of males’s tennis, he admitted he had not anticipated to succeed in one other main closing.
‘I at all times imagine’
If the previous world primary was going to win that elusive twenty fifth, he might mirror that he has seen his greatest remaining likelihood come and go.
He’s the undisputed king of Melbourne Park and Rod Laver Enviornment is the courtroom the place he has had probably the most success.
The fourth seed loved two large items of luck in reaching the semi-finals.
Djokovic loved free passage via the fourth spherical when Jakub Mensik pulled out with harm.
He was then dealing with defeat at two units right down to Lorenzo Musetti, just for the Italian fifth seed to retire injured.
He rolled again the years to beat Sinner and make the ultimate, however a repeat success so quickly after taking part in 5 units was past him.
“Total, for certain it has been a improbable match,” he mentioned.
“I knew that I might most likely need to beat two of them (Alcaraz and Sinner) on the way in which to the title.
“I beat one, which is nice, so it is a step extra additional than I’ve gone in Grand Slams than final yr.
“Very good, encouraging. However, you already know, not sufficient for me.”
So what subsequent for one of many all-time greats?
For no matter time is left, he will not quit on that twenty fifth Grand Slam crown, even when the percentages at the moment are stacked towards him.
“I at all times imagine I can,” Djokovic mentioned about lastly eclipsing Court docket.
“In any other case, I would not be competing.”
