For Novak Djokovic, the arrival of Carlos Alcaraz as a legitimate grand slam contender may be the beginning of the end.
Only Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev, and Alcaraz have defeated Djokovic at the very end of the match in 10 of the last five years’ 17 tournaments.
Djokovic was just outside of a perfect sweep this year. He took home the Roland-Garris, US Open, and Australian Open titles. Wimbledon was won by Alcaraz.
At thirty-six, the Serbian is hardly a spring chicken. He is, however, perhaps at the peak of his abilities.
But Djokovic will know it’s time to retire if Alcaraz or other rising talents turn the tide against him and often deny him victories.
In an interview with Jon Wertheim for 60 Minutes, Djokovic explained his retirement planning.
According to Wertheim, “most athletes wind down in their careers.”
It doesn’t appear that you are experiencing that. How will you know when the timing is right?”
The 24-time grand slam champion retorted, saying, “That’s a really good question for which I have no answer.
“Maybe when I start losing big tournaments and can’t compete for major titles, that’s when the time will come closer.
“And once the young guys start kicking my butt, I’ll probably start to second-guess myself and wonder if I should continue.”
“But for now, it’s all good.”
It appears that retirement is not something that will happen very soon.
Rafael Nadal, one of Djokovic’s main adversaries, is 37 years old and has a history of injuries. In contrast, Nadal has proved incredibly resilient.
Regarding Alcaraz, Djokovic acknowledges that the 20-year-old poses a genuine danger.
He has made two appearances in the finals and has won both, winning Wimbledon in 2023 and the US Open in 2022.
The young man, with his age and world-class potential, is a frightening prospect.
Djokovic praised him, saying, “He’s as complete a player as I have seen in ages.”
Wertheim put out an idea: “It was a disappointing day for you, but in a way this was energising that you had this young challenger.”
In agreement, Djokovic issued a menacing warning to his opponents, saying that if he wants to go further, he will need to improve.
“Yes, it was,” he responded. “You’re right; that infuriated me so much that I had to triumph in every way on American territory, which I accomplished.
“It’s a great opportunity for me to reinvent myself and really push harder than I ever did.”
In January, Djokovic will compete at the Australian Open, where he hopes to win an unprecedented 11th singles championship.
