Novak Djokovic’s colossal net worth, plans for after tennis, retirement statements
Novak Djokovic’s colossal net worth, plans for after tennis, retirement statements
Share:
Novak Djokovic's quest for an 11th Australian Open title came to a crashing halt during his semi-final clash with Alexander Zverev on Friday. Djokovic lost a 7-6(5) opening set to Zverev, before his tournament was cut short by a muscle tear in his upper left leg, leading him to shake hands with the German and retire from the match. The Serbian tennis legend went into the match wearing dark tape and a white bandage on his thigh, having suffered the injury during his win over Carlos Alcaraz earlier in the week.
Though the 37-year-old looked close to his best across a taxing 81-minute first set, he eventually decided he was unable to continue, before being booed by a section of Melbourne Park spectators who had paid a fortune to watch him play. This latest setback serves as a poignant reminder of Djokovic's tennis mortality, showing that his body may not be as resilient as it once was. And the 24-time Grand Slam champion addressed his plans to retire during his press conference afterwards.
Djokovic admitted it was unclear whether he would return to Melbourne Park in the future, saying: “I don’t know, there is a chance. Who knows? I’ll just have to see how the season goes.” But crucially, he indicated that he would like to continue if his body permits him to.
“I want to keep going, but whether I’m going to have a revised schedule or not for the next year, I’m not sure,” Djokovic said. “I normally like to come to Australia and play, and I’ve had the biggest success in my career here. So if I’m fit, healthy, motivated, I don’t see a reason why I wouldn’t come, but there’s always a chance.”.
