Novak Djokovic has admitted he is not sure if he will return to the Australian Open “as an active player” after his defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the final at the Melbourne Grand Slam
The 24-time major champion suffered his first-ever defeat in an Australian Open championship match as he was beaten 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 by Alcaraz, the world No 1.
At the age of 38, Djokovic made history by becoming the oldest Australian Open finalist in history, while he also became the second oldest player to play in a Grand Slam final after Ken Rosewall, who was 39 when he reached the 1974 US Open final.
The Serbian, who has won a record 10 Australian Open titles, sparked speculation about his future with his message to the Rod Laver Arena crowd at the end of his runner-up speech.
“God knows what happens tomorrow, let alone in six or 12 months, but it has been a great ride. I love you guys,” Djokovic said.
In his press conference with Serbian media after the final, Djokovic was asked about his on-court comments.
“I don’t know, I don’t know… I don’t know if I’ll see them [again] or not, that’s why I left it open,” said the former world No 1.
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“You’ve been following me for a long time and — I’m not pretending, I’m not faking, I’m not twisting things, I’m telling you how it is.
“I told you that in the last year or year and a half, I’m not sure how much or what… I would say that I would like to play until the Olympics in 2028 to play, but now… That means I can play one tournament a year, maybe 15, maybe two, maybe seven, I don’t know.
“The crowd gave me unforgettable emotions in the last two matches, I’ve certainly never experienced that in totality here.
“I’m very grateful that I finally experienced it because I think I deserved it — I thank them from the bottom of my heart.
“I’ll return to Australia — as an active player or not, we’ll see, about then and later.”
Djokovic has climbed from fourth to third in the ATP Rankings after his run to the final in Australia.
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