Seven years ago, in the spring of 2018, Novak Djokovic stood at a crossroads that could have ended his storied tennis career. Reeling from a string of devastating losses and battling a persistent elbow injury, the Serbian star, then 30, confided in his inner circle that he was ready to walk away from the sport. “He said to me that he’s quitting, and that’s the truth,” his wife, Jelena, recalled of that pivotal moment after a crushing defeat at the Miami Open. “He lost in Miami. It was a terrible loss. And then he just gathered all of us and said, ‘You know guys, I’m done.’ And I was like, ‘What?’” Djokovic instructed his manager, Edoardo Artaldi, to inform his sponsors, stating, “I want to be clear with them. I don’t know if I’m stopping for six months, a year, or forever.” Yet, from that low point, Djokovic staged one of the most remarkable comebacks in sports history, a testament to his resilience and unyielding passion for tennis.
The 2018 season had been a nadir for Djokovic. Plagued by elbow pain that forced a six-month hiatus in 2017, he underwent surgery early that year, only to return and suffer shock first-round exits at Indian Wells to Philipp Kohlschreiber and Miami to Roberto Bautista Agut. His ranking plummeted to No. 22, the lowest in over a decade, and doubts swirled about whether the former world No. 1 could reclaim his dominance. A holiday with his family proved transformative. Watching his wife and children enjoy tennis rekindled his love for the game. “It was crazy how we went on a holiday together, and when he decides he doesn’t want to play tennis, he doesn’t want to see tennis,” Jelena said. “I love tennis and kept taking the kids with me to play, and then he showed up the third or fourth day and saw how much we were having fun.” Within months, Djokovic roared back, reaching the French Open quarter-finals and winning Wimbledon and the US Open, finishing 2018 as world No. 1.
Fast forward to 2025, and Djokovic, now 38, remains a titan of the sport, though the specter of retirement looms again. His 24 Grand Slam titles, including a record 10 Australian Opens, and 100 career titles, including a 2024 Olympic gold, cement his legacy as one of tennis’s greatest. Yet, the 2024 season was his first without a major since 2017, marked by a semi-final loss to Jannik Sinner at Roland Garros and a retirement due to a leg injury against Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open. “This could have been the last match ever I played here,” he said after the Paris defeat, waving emotionally to the crowd. “I don’t think I have ever received this much support in this stadium in my career.” Despite these setbacks, Djokovic’s hunger persists, driven by a desire to surpass Margaret Court’s 24-major record. “If I’m feeling and playing the way I did today, I find joy on the court,” he noted after a 2025 Miami Open win.
Djokovic’s career has been defined by overcoming adversity, from respiratory issues in his youth to the mental toll of rivalries with Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray. Nadal’s 2024 retirement, marked by an emotional Roland Garros ceremony attended by Djokovic, stirred deep reflection. “Especially when Rafa left, a big part of me left with him,” he admitted, acknowledging the void left by the Big Four. His 31-29 edge over Nadal in 60 meetings underscores a rivalry that pushed both to their limits. Yet, the rise of Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner, who defeated him four times in 2024, signals a generational shift. “I’m trying to understand them,” Djokovic said of the younger players, “and I know what’s happening in my body.”
As he eyes Wimbledon and the US Open in 2025, Djokovic’s future hinges on health and motivation. “If I start to lose more and feel like there is a bigger gap, I’ll probably call it a day,” he told reporters, though his victory over Alcaraz at the 2025 Australian Open proves he remains a contender. With a modest $700,000 Belgrade penthouse awaiting his retirement, Djokovic’s focus is on legacy, not luxury. Seven years after nearly quitting, his defiance—bolstered by a vegan diet and new coach Andy Murray—keeps him in the fight, proving that even when he said “I’m done,” the greatest was far from finished.
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