“It’s complete. I completed all the achievements with this gold medal,” Novak Djokovic said of his Paris triumph. Djokovic’s impressive two-decade-long career with 24 Grand Slams and 99 singles titles sums it up all. To reflect back on 2024, Novak failed to defend his title in the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open. Moreover, as one of his biggest on-court rivals, Rafael Nadal announced his potential retirement earlier this year, fans feared Djokovic walking in the same footsteps. To much surprise, after a third-round US Open defeat, Djokovic admitted to having run “out of gas.” With Djoker’s recent career update, it seems Djokovic fans should start counting on youngsters like Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz.

First things first. Novak Djokovic has seemingly mended fences with Grigor Dimitrov following the controversial Adria Tour event four years ago. On Tuesday, the two tennis stars faced off in a thrilling exhibition match in Bulgaria, captivating a sold-out crowd. During his pre-match press conference, where he later lost to Dmitrov by 6-4, 2-6 [10-6], Djokovic surprisingly revealed his uncertain future plans in tennis to Tennis Kafe.

Reiterating that he was unsure about his plans beyond playing the Shanghai Masters and an exhibition match in Saudi Arabia in December, Novak said, “For the first time in my career, I don’t have long-term plans. I live for the moment and we will see what happens. Today I will play in Sofia, then in China, and then at a demonstration tournament in Saudi Arabia. Then—I don’t know. We will see how I will feel and judge.”

Referring to his wife, Jelena, and his kids, Stefan and Tara, Djokovic, who previously admitted how staying away from his kids during the tournaments “hurts” him, further added, “For me, family life is very important. I want to be with my wife and children, to be a part of their daily routine – something I couldn’t do for many years. I have to balance things out, so we’ll see.” 

Moreover, he reflected on his age, calling it a “serious” for a professional player, and hinted at his fatigue after playing over two decades in the sport. Citing this as the reason for his less participation in the tennis events this year, Djokovic emphasized that, “Motivation is also a must.”

Furthermore, Djokovic explained that the “competition is very strong,” and how players have to consistently “adapt” to the evolving world of tennis accordingly. “You have to be obsessed, but in a good way. Going to bed and getting up thinking how to get better.” Djokovic understands how this theory applies more to “individual sports” where players have to battle alone on the ground. However, adding a bit of hope, he said, “..but we’re still strong.”

After winning his first gold medal, Djokovic confessed that he might not know what awaits him in the future but he wants to focus on being happy and celebrate his victory that he “worked very hard, and sacrificed a lot to” achieve. Perhaps Djokovic “still wants to pursue titles and records, but at the same time I have to be reasonable and prioritize certain tournaments at the expense of others.”

Moreover, his recent statements further remind fans of Novak Djokovic’s comments during the Australian Open about retiring from tennis only if certain conditions come into play!

“…then I’ll probably consider going into retirement,” Novak Djokovic opened up during the Australian Open

In January, Novak Djokovic firmly dismissed his retirement plans after his fourth-round clash in Melbourne. However, Djokovic also added how his decision can change based on certain conditions. “When I feel that I am not able to compete at the highest level with the guys and be a contender for a grand slam title, then I’ll probably consider going into retirement. But that can change, obviously.”

Novak Djokovic, who won the ATP finals last year but might be on the fence about reappearing in the contest this season, further continued his statements, “A lot of things can change. I’m not a teenager anymore. I’m a father and a husband..I’m really blessed to be where I am. Let’s see how far it goes.”  

He admitted that he did not lack motivation and drive to succeed in the upcoming matches and that he is ready to give his “best performance” in all the matches. Calling himself a “fierce competitor,” Djokovic reignited some hope for fans. However, after the conclusion of the last grand slam of the year, Djokovic, who played in a charity exhibition match on Tuesday, has now offered a glimpse into his evolved mindset. Nevertheless, fans are hoping to see him on the court soon!