LIVE
...

Follow us on

News

Novak Djokovic suggests when he’s planning to retire from tennis and admits it might disappoint Alexander Zverev

Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
Follow us on Google Discover

Novak Djokovic has sent another warning to his rivals as he continues his search for a record 25th Grand Slam title.

Djokovic played a record 430th Grand Slam match in round two in Melbourne, where he beat ​​Jaime Faria 6-1, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2.

ATP number seven and Australian Open seventh seed Djokovic has now set up a third round clash with world number 25 Tomas Machac.

That comes after the Czech ace’s second round win over ​​​​Reilly Opelka, who intriguingly beat Djokovic in Brisbane earlier this month.

But the 37-year-old is in a roll at the Australian Open, although both of his wins have come against Grand Slam debutants.

2025 Australian Open - Day 2
Photo by Shi Tang/Getty Images

Novak Djokovic plans to play in the ‘next several years’

His history at the event and indeed in major tournaments overall does, however, speak for itself, with Djokovic completing the Golden Slam in 2024 with his gold medal in Paris.

With his stunning success in mind, many of his rivals were granted permission by the ATP Tour to ask the Serbian questions.

READ MORE: Who is Novak Djokovic? Step inside the life of the 24-time Grand Slam champion

“Please Novak give me one match. Next one, one, at least one,” pleaded Andrey Rublev, with Felix Auger-Aliassime asking: “What else are you trying to win now?”

Alexander Zverev meanwhile noted: “You have 24 and you have a gold medal now, you’re good, you’ve won everything, you don’t need anymore.”

But a determined Djokovic responded: “Come on guys. I don’t know what to say, I’m going to have to disappoint all of you, because you’re going to see quite a bit of me in the next several years. I have big plans, I still have a lot to win.”

Novak Djokovic among 13 players to have won Golden Slam

Djokovic has already broken countless records throughout his phenomenal career, but there are still a few left to break.

He does boast the most Australian Open men’s singles titles with 10, but can move past Margaret Court for overall Grand Slam titles by winning in Melbourne this month.

READ MORE: What Novak Djokovic said about Joao Fonseca last year which is looking very true after his incredible Australian Open win

The Serbian can also become the oldest Grand Slam winner in the Open Era, with that honour currently belonging to 1972 Australian Open champion Ken Rosewall.

But it was no secret that Djokovic had longed for Olympic gold medal success, a feat he finally achieved last summer with a determined triumph over Carlos Alcaraz.

Not only did he gain revenge after losing to the Spaniard at Wimbledon, but he became part of tennis folklore by winning all four Grand Slams and gold at the Olympics.

A total of 13 players have won the Golden Slam, with Djokovic one of five to achieve the feat in Open Era singles, alongside Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf.

PlayerCountryYear of Golden Slam completion
Steffi GrafGermany1988
Pam ShriverUSA1988
Gigi FernandezPuerto Rico1996
Andre AgassiUSA1999
Todd WoodbridgeAustralia2000
Mark WoodfordeAustralia2000
Serena WilliamsUSA2001 (Doubles), Singles (2012)
Venus WilliamsUSA2001
Daniel NestorCanada2008
Rafael NadalSpain2010
Bob BryanUSA2012
Mike BryanUSA2012
Novak DjokovicSerbia2024
Golden Slam winners