Novak Djokovic’s dreams of a 25th Grand Slam title were crushed in the semi-finals of the French Open.
Riding a nine-match winning streak heading into the semi-finals, Djokovic was full of confidence ahead of his clash with the world number one.
The Serb battled hard against the Italian but fell short in three tight sets, as Sinner beat Djokovic to advance to the final.
Djokovic appeared to suggest he may never return to the French Open during his post-match press conference.
Taking to social media, Djokovic has now sent a message to the Parisian fans amid all the speculation.
Novak Djokovic says ‘Merci’ to the French Open amid speculation he may never return
Following his heartbreaking semi-final defeat, Djokovic thanked the fans for their support on social media.
“Paris, you have my gratitude,” he said.
“Thank you for your incredible support in a place that is very special to me. Honestly, some of the greatest support I’ve received in my career.
“Bravo to Jannik [Sinner].
“Merci to Roland Garros. À bientôt.”
Fans hoping to see Djokovic return to Paris in 2026 may be encouraged by the Serb’s sign-off – À bientôt.
À bientôt is more commonly used as a ‘see you soon’ than a ‘goodbye’ in French, perhaps indicating he could return after all.
During his post-match press conference, Djokovic was cautious of committing to a return, explaining why he got so emotional while leaving the court.
“I mean, this could have been the last match I ever played here, so I don’t know. That’s why I was a bit more emotional in the end,” he said.
“But if this was the final match at Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd.
“I said it could have been my last match. I didn’t say it was. I don’t know right now. 12 months at this point in my career is a long time.
“Do I wish to play more? Yes, I do. Will I be able to play here again in 12 months time? I don’t know.”
Novak Djokovic made history at the French Open in 2025
Potentially appearing at Roland Garros for the final time in 2025, Djokovic made sure to write his name into the history books.
Beating Cameron Norrie in the fourth round, Djokovic notched his 100th win at the event, becoming just the third player in the history of the men’s game to reach a century of wins at a Grand Slam tournament.
- 1. Rafael Nadal at the French Open – 112 wins
- 2. Roger Federer at Wimbledon – 105 wins
- 3. Roger Federer at the Australian Open – 102 wins
- 4. Novak Djokovic at the French Open – 101 wins
Joining his ‘big-three’ rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer with 100 wins at a Slam, Djokovic ensured his French Open legacy will stand the test of time.
He’ll have a great chance to reach the landmark at a second Grand Slam tournament next month when he heads to Wimbledon.
Having won 97 matches at the All England Club throughout his career to date, reaching the last 16 of the 2025 tournament will see him reach the 100-mark.
Last failing to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2009, it seems fairly likely he’ll join Federer as the only other player to win 100 matches at two Grand Slam events.
Djokovic could then become the first player to do so at three Majors with a singular win at the Australian Open next year, having just missed out in the 2025 semi-finals.
He won’t want to get too far ahead of himself, however, and will first turn his attention to Wimbledon, which begins on June 30.
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