As the 2025 French Open unfolded on the red clay of Roland Garros, Novak Djokovic, the 38-year-old Serbian tennis titan, found himself not only battling opponents but also confronting a barrage of questions about his future. His semi-final loss to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in straight sets marked a poignant moment, prompting reflections on his storied career and drawing parallels to the relentless retirement scrutiny faced by Serena Williams in her final seasons. Australian player Daria Saville, a keen observer of the sport, recently highlighted this similarity, noting that Djokovic is enduring the same press crush that hounded Williams. “How many more?” the media seems to ask, a question that weighs heavily on a champion still chasing history.
Djokovic’s 2025 campaign at Roland Garros began with promise. The 24-time Grand Slam champion, who holds a record 10 Australian Open titles, advanced to the quarter-finals without dropping a set, dispatching Alexander Zverev in a gripping 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 battle. Yet, against Sinner, the Serbian’s resolve faltered. Saville’s husband, Luke, a former professional player, sensed a shift during the match. “I sort of felt, watching him against Sinner, it was the first time that I felt like he didn’t have that belief,” he remarked, suggesting Djokovic may be grappling with the realization that he can’t consistently outmatch the new generation’s top talents like Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz. Despite a heroic Olympic gold medal win over Alcaraz in 2024, Djokovic now faces the daunting prospect of needing to defeat multiple elite players to claim another major.
The retirement questions swirling around Djokovic echo the experience of Serena Williams, who faced incessant queries about her career’s endgame before retiring after the 2022 US Open with 23 Grand Slams. “That’s what people did to Serena,” Saville observed, pointing out the uncertainty that even legends face. “The funny thing as a player is I don’t think you know yourself.” Williams, like Djokovic, was bombarded with speculation in her late 30s, particularly after losses to younger stars like Naomi Osaka. Saville believes Djokovic, too, is navigating this fog, unsure of his body’s limits. “I think he doesn’t know where his body is. He’s just unsure, but I don’t think he’s there,” she said, predicting he’ll return to Roland Garros in 2026 rather than exit on a semi-final defeat.
Djokovic’s recent comments reflect this ambivalence. After his French Open loss, he spoke of a “great sense of gratitude” toward the Parisian crowd, but admitted, “This could have been the last match ever I played here, so I don’t know.” The emotional weight of the moment, coupled with the warm support from fans—a rarity at Roland Garros, where he noted, “I don’t think I have ever received this much support in this stadium”—underscored his complex feelings. His 100th ATP title at the Geneva Open in May 2025, a milestone shared only with Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer, keeps him chasing Connors’ record of 109 titles. “He’s broken every single record there is,” Luke Saville said, suggesting Djokovic might target this mark by playing smaller ATP 250 events.
Yet, the physical and mental toll is evident. Djokovic’s 2025 season has been uneven, with early exits in four of seven tournaments, including straight-set losses in Miami, Monte Carlo, and Madrid. His former coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, who guided Williams through similar struggles, likened Djokovic’s motivation dips to Williams’ quest for “one more” Slam. “What’s his goal now that he found out to win more Slams than his two big rivals?” Mouratoglou asked, noting that Djokovic’s drive wanes outside majors. Still, Wimbledon looms as a beacon, where Djokovic, with 97 career wins and seven titles, could hit 100 match victories and chase an eighth crown to tie Federer’s record.
Saville remains optimistic about Djokovic’s resilience. “I kind of feel that he’ll be there,” she said of his future at Roland Garros, drawing a contrast with Williams’ prolonged farewell. Unlike Williams, who never returned to the Australian Open after her 2021 semi-final loss, Djokovic’s competitive fire burns bright, fueled by a desire to cement his legacy. As he prepares for Wimbledon, the tennis world watches, wondering if the Serbian icon can defy time or if, like Williams, he’ll soon wave goodbye to the sport he transformed.
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