Novak Djokovic's no-nonsense three-word reply to Nick Kyrgios when asked 'Why are you playing?'

The record-breaking 25th major appeared at a touching distance when Novak Djokovic claimed his 24th Grand Slam title two years ago at the US Open. Fast forward two years, and the Serb is still stuck at 24 after coming agonisingly close at times. The same story repeated in the recently concluded Wimbledon 2025, where he managed to progress till the semi-final round but could not pass through the challenge posed by the eventual winner Jannik Sinner, who defeated him in straight sets.

With the culmination of each tournament, fans start wondering how much longer the 37-year-old will keep playing the sport. Fellow professional Nick Kyrgios shared the same sentiment and decided to up-front ask Djokovic the same. Kyrgios and Djokovic have had a tumultuous relationship in the past. The two have engaged in some indirect back-and-forths as well, but things have been cordial between the two lately.

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Novak Djokovic’s firm reply to Nick Kyrgios

During an appearance on the All on the Table podcast, Kyrgios talked about a revealing exchange he had with Djokovic in the locker room at Indian Wells this year.

“I think he’s got to be finished soon,” he said. “Like, come on… what more? I asked him this at Indian Wells this year. We were in the locker room and I said: ‘Why are you here? Why are you playing?’ He just goes: ‘I don’t know’.”

“I go: ‘What about your kids? I know you want to spend time with your family’. He said: ‘Yeah, I don’t know’. That was the first time I think he misses his family a lot. I stay in touch with him all the time.

“I can’t see him playing for more than another year. Not again. Not the whole year again. He is so professional. I am just speaking from my experience if I had a family like his and kids.

“It’s like Andy Murray. It’s like you play your whole career and then you retire and you don’t spend any time at home, you just go straight into coaching again. If I was his partner I would be so angry.”

The talk about Novak Djokovic’s potential retirement picks up every time the player loses a match. However, his ardent fans would want him to keep stretching the rope as long as he is making it to the semi-final stage of Grand Slam tournaments.