Novak Djokovic told the tournament he really should retire at by multiple Grand Slam champion

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Novak Djokovic continues to impress and is a Grand Slam quarterfinalist once again, aged 38.

The Serbian star hasn’t been perfect in New York, dropping a set to Zachary Svajda in round two and Cameron Norrie in round three, but never looked to be in too much trouble.

Advancing to the quarterfinals, Djokovic will now play Taylor Fritz, against whom he leads 10-0 in the head-to-head.

With the 24-time major champion potentially just three games away from a record 25th Grand Slam title, some have questioned whether Djokovic would consider retiring from tennis if he were to lift the title on Sunday evening.

Asked that very question, John Fitzgerald, a former doubles number one, has said where he would prefer Djokovic to retire.

John Fitzgerald would be ‘disappointed’ if Novak Djokovic didn’t retire at the Australian Open

During the latest episode of ‘The Tennis’ podcast, Fitzgerald shared his thoughts on Djokovic’s future retirement.

“I’d be disappointed if he didn’t retire at the Australian Open, but he’s entitled to do anything,” he said.

“I think he’d come back here… If he can win that… I’m not inside Novak’s head, but I’d love to think he’d come back here, and if he had it in the back of his mind to stop one day, let it be at the Australian Open.”

The Aussie is a big fan of Djokovic, a player he describes as a ‘phenomenon’.

“He’s a phenomenon. If you can describe him any other way, it would have to be something even more exaggerated than that,” said Fitzgerald.

“What a player. I mean, it makes me shake my head every time I think of his record and what he’s done, how he’s handled his body, everything he’s done as a professional is just staggering to me, in my lifetime I never thought I’d see three players, we’ve seen over the past 15, 18 years, in the men’s game.

“It doesn’t surprise me. Nothing surprises me with Novak anymore. I stopped being surprised about ten years ago.

“I take my hat off to him, his record is the best we’ve ever seen, he’s certainly one of the great players, not just in this era… I’m not surprised, don’t back against him too heavily.”

Djokovic holds several tennis records, none more impressive than his tally of 24 Grand Slams.

Picking up major number 25 is still a big target for Djokovic, however, who hasn’t won any of the previous seven Grand Slams, a rare drought for him.

Novak Djokovic’s last seven Grand Slam results

As his younger rivals Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have risen to the top of the men’s game, Djokovic’s time dominating Grand Slams seems to have drawn to a close.

With the world’s top two players sharing the previous seven majors between themselves, the Serb has failed to add to his tally of 24 Slams.

• 2024 Australian Open – Lost in SF to Jannik Sinner
• 2024 French Open – Withdrew before QF
• 2024 Wimbledon – Lost in F to Carlos Alcaraz
• 2024 US Open – Lost in 3R to Alexei Popyrin
• 2025 Australian Open – Lost in SF to Alexander Zverev
• 2025 French Open – Lost in SF to Jannik Sinner
• 2025 Wimbledon – Lost in SF to Jannik Sinner

In four of the last seven Grand Slams, Djokovic has lost to one of Sinner [3] and Alcaraz [1].

He’ll be hoping for a better showing in New York, but will have to pass the Fritz test first, who himself will be looking to prove himself on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Fritz and Djokovic will compete for a place in the US Open semifinals on Tuesday, September 2.