The tennis world is abuzz with speculation about Novak Djokovic’s future after Nick Kyrgios, the outspoken Australian star, shared details of a candid locker room conversation from the 2025 Indian Wells Masters. Speaking on the *All on the Table* podcast with coach Patrick Mouratoglou on July 18, 2025, Kyrgios revealed he directly asked the 24-time Grand Slam champion, “Why are you here? Why are you playing?” Djokovic’s response—“I don’t know”—struck a chord, prompting Kyrgios to predict the 38-year-old Serbian legend may retire within the next year. “I can’t see him playing for more than another year. Not again. Not the whole year again,” Kyrgios said, suggesting the relentless grind of the ATP Tour and time away from family could soon end Djokovic’s storied career.
Djokovic, who celebrated his 38th birthday in May 2025, has been chasing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title to surpass Margaret Court’s all-time mark. His 2023 US Open victory remains his most recent Major triumph, and despite reaching the semi-finals of all three 2025 Grand Slams—Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon—he has been unable to close the gap. Injuries, including a hamstring issue that forced a retirement against Alexander Zverev in Melbourne and a torn meniscus from 2024, have compounded the challenge. At Wimbledon, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner delivered a crushing 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 defeat in the semi-finals, prompting Djokovic to admit, “It’s just age, the wear and tear of the body. As much as I’m taking care of it, the reality hits me right now, like never before.” Kyrgios, reflecting on this loss, told *The i Paper*, “It’s hard because the game is missing [Roger] Federer and [Rafael] Nadal, and Djokovic has… well, he said it’s not his last match, but I don’t know how believable that is from how I saw him physically.”
The private exchange at Indian Wells revealed a rare vulnerability in Djokovic, who shares two children, Stefan and Tara, with his wife, Jelena. When Kyrgios pressed, “What about your kids? I know you want to spend time with your family,” Djokovic again replied, “Yeah, I don’t know.” Kyrgios noted, “That was the first time I think he misses his family a lot,” a sentiment that resonated deeply given Djokovic’s frequent travels with his family to tournaments. “I stay in touch with him all the time,” Kyrgios added, highlighting their unlikely friendship, which blossomed after years of rivalry, including Kyrgios’s 2022 Wimbledon final loss to Djokovic. Their bond was evident at the 2025 Brisbane International, where they teamed up for doubles, winning their opening match before a second-round exit.
Kyrgios’s prediction aligns with broader sentiment in the tennis community. The rise of Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who have claimed all seven Majors since 2023, underscores a changing of the guard. “Alcaraz and Sinner are going to be carrying the torch for the next 10 to 15 years,” Kyrgios told TNT Sports, pointing to their dominance. Djokovic himself acknowledged the challenge, saying after Wimbledon, “I reach the semis of every Slam this year, but I have to play Sinner or Alcaraz. These guys are fit, young, sharp. I feel like I’m going into the match with tank half empty.” His 2024 Olympic gold medal in Paris, defeating Alcaraz, was a career pinnacle, completing his resume, yet his only other title since 2023 is the 2025 Geneva Open, a stark contrast to his peak years.
Djokovic’s reflections on retirement have been ambiguous but poignant. After his French Open loss to Sinner, he said, “This could have been the last match ever I played here… if this was the farewell match of Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere.” At Wimbledon, he was more resolute: “Hopefully it’s not my last match on the Centre Court. I’m planning to come back definitely at least one more time.” Yet, Serena Williams’ former coach Rennae Stubbs suggested the 2026 Australian Open, where Djokovic has won 10 titles, could be his final bow. “He had one of the worst experiences of his life in Melbourne a few years ago, but he won 10 times there,” she said, referencing his 2022 deportation over vaccine controversy.
Kyrgios, 30, is no stranger to retirement talk himself, having hinted at stepping away after a wrist injury sidelined him for nearly two years. “I’m far from done, to be honest,” he said in 2024, but his own struggles inform his empathy for Djokovic’s crossroads. As the US Open looms on August 24, 2025, with Djokovic under new coach Andy Murray, the tennis world watches closely. Will the Serbian legend defy age and Kyrgios’s prediction to claim No. 25, or is the end of an era near? For now, Djokovic’s “I don’t know” echoes as a poignant reminder of a champion wrestling with time and legacy.
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