Novak Djokovic appears to be like on the Australian Open’s Norman Brookes Problem Cup after shedding within the closing to Carlos Alcaraz. Photograph: AFP
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 can have at profitable an outright-record twenty fifth.
The 38-year-old has constantly dismissed speak 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 prompt he might not be again in Melbourne.
“God is aware of what occurs tomorrow, not to mention in six months or 12 months,” he advised the group at Rod Laver Enviornment.
“So it has been an awesome experience. I really like you guys.”
Djokovic has received a file 10 Australian Opens and till Sunday had by no means misplaced a closing there.
However for all his success, Djokovic has not all the time had a straightforward relationship with the Melbourne followers.
“I need to simply say in the long run that you simply guys, notably the final couple of matches, gave me one thing that I’ve by no means skilled in Australia,” he mentioned.
“That a lot love, help, positivity. I attempted to offer 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 received his twenty fourth Grand Slam title on the US Open in 2023, drawing him degree with the Australian Margaret Courtroom on the prime of the all-time checklist.
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 acquired 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 received 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 achieve one other main closing.
‘I all the time imagine’
If the previous world primary was going to win that elusive twenty fifth, he could mirror that he has seen his greatest remaining probability come and go.
He’s the undisputed king of Melbourne Park and Rod Laver Enviornment is the courtroom the place he has had essentially the most success.
The fourth seed loved two large items of luck in reaching the semi-finals.
Djokovic loved free passage by means of the fourth spherical when Jakub Mensik pulled out with damage.
He was then dealing with defeat at two units all the way 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 enjoying 5 units was past him.
“General, for positive it has been a implausible event,” he mentioned.
“I knew that I might most likely need to beat two of them (Alcaraz and Sinner) on the best way 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, , not sufficient for me.”
So what subsequent for one of many all-time greats?
For no matter time is left, he will not surrender on that twenty fifth Grand Slam crown, even when the chances are actually stacked towards him.
“I all the time imagine I can,” Djokovic mentioned about lastly eclipsing Courtroom.
“In any other case, I would not be competing.”
