Novak Djokovic’s retirement date has appeared to be close for much of 2025, but former world No 1 Jim Courier has a theory explaining why the Serbian great may extend his career into another year.
Djokovic, 38, has played a greatly reduced schedule this season, skipping most ATP Tour events and focusing all his attention on Grand Slams.
That has reaped some rewards, with the most successful male player of all-time reaching the semi-finals of the first three major tournaments this season despite his lack of match practice.
That would be considered to be a magnificent result for most players, but Djokovic has admitted he is only extending his career to win a 25th Grand Slam title and claim the record for the most major title wins.
He is currently tied with female legend Margaret Court for the most Grand Slam wins, with that 25th title now the last great goal of his career.
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“Biological age is not something that I guess you can reverse,” said Djokovic. “I still feel like I have a game left in me, you know to play at the highest level.
“As I said before several times, as long as I have that feeling of really that that level is still alive, I feel like I want to keep going and I want to keep pushing myself to see whether I can have a shot at another Slam.
“I’m asking myself questions, of course, more nowadays than I have ever before in terms of, how long do I want to keep going at this level? How do I want to approach my schedule to kind of extend my career?”
“I might get a little bit more philosophical again when I finish the tournament, but I’ll try to focus on the next challenge here.”
That last comment sparked suggestions that Djokovic may be pondering quitting tennis at the end of this US Open, with the four-and-a-half-month wait until the next Grand Slam in Australia, yet Courier has a theory that may see Djokovic continue into 2026.
As he watched Djokovic beat Jan-Lennard Struff to reach this year’s US Open quarter-finals, four-time Grand Slam singles champion Courier believes a final trip to Australia may appeal to the Serbian after a miserable exit last January.
Djokovic was booed off court after he was forced to quit his Australian Open semi-final due to injury, with Courier suggesting he would not want that to be his final memory of his most successful tournament.
“My personal feeling, and it’s not rooted in any facts, just feelings,” said Courier. “My feeling is that Djokovic had such a bad taste in his mouth leaving his most successful tournament when he had to stop playing because he was seriously injured in the semi-finals.
“He played a competitive set against (Alexander) Zverev, lost it and then shook hands. Then he, the ten-time champion, was booed off court and it was Zverev who had to defend his honour in a post-match interview. It was not well done by the crowd.
“So my view is he would want to go back and play Australia at least one more time and get a proper send off. That’s what I want for him. I don’t know if that’s what he wants.
“Can you imagine (Roger) Federer playing at Wimbledon, he had to default and the fans boo him? Can you imagine? The same with (Rafa) Nadal at Roland Garros.
“Ten times that Djokovic has won that tournament in Australia. No one is even close. It was wild.”
If Djokovic wins his 25th Grand Slam title in the US Open final on Sunday, few would be surprised were he to instantly announce he is ending his incredible tennis journey.
If he loses in his quarter-final against Taylor Fritz or in a potential semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz or final against defending champion Jannik Sinner, the debate over what comes next for this enduringly brilliant champion will begin in earnest.
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