 "Novak Djokovic could retire in 2026 as top tennis broadcasters also predicted at which tournament will he hang his boots. Image: AP")
Novak Djokovic, at 38, is hurtling towards his retirement and the ongoing fitness issues could propel the Serbian to that decision, most likely next year in 2026, some of the world’s most popular tennis broadcasters said on The Tennis Podcast.
Djokovic last won a Grand Slam at the US Open in 2023 and has consistently come short against Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the last two years. But it’s not the drop in the level of the tennis from the 24-time Grand Slam winner that is bothering fans and broadcasters, but the drop in his physical standards.
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Known for unmatched stamina and fitness, Djokovic has suffered injuries at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open during the 2025 campaign. Recently, at the Shanghai Open, Djokovic lost to world No 204 Valentin Vacherot in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters after struggling with a back issue.
During his entire Shanghai Masters campaign, Djokovic was regularly seen facing fitness issues and eventually gave up in the semi-finals.
Novak Djokovic to retire in 2026? Predictions are in
Discussing what’s next for Djokovic in tennis and predicting when he will retire next, Britain’s famous tennis broadcasters Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Matt Roberts in The Tennis Podcast said that 2026 would most certainly be his last.
Whitaker opened the conversation by asking Roberts about what’s next for Djokovic. “Where do we stand on where Novak Djokovic is after last week Matt?”
Roberts then moved the conversation towards the reasons Djokovic played at Shanghai and his fitness issues. “I think it slightly depends what your answer is to the question: why did he go to Shanghai?
“Because if he went to prove that he can still win big level tournaments and I think particularly get through big level tournaments without physical issues.
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“I remember in that final press conference at the US Open where he was talking a lot about the problems he’s having over best of five, but he mentioned best of three, and like over that format he almost thinks that he would have maybe more of a shot at beating Sinner or Alcaraz because it really felt like it was the physical toll of having played four or five best of five matches and then having to play Sinner and Alcaraz at the Slams that was holding him back.
“But we saw a lot of physical issues in Shanghai, even over best of three. Every match was an enormous struggle and it was a combination of I think the conditions, like they’ve never been his ideal conditions that kind of oppressive heat and humidity, particularly now I think they’re not going to be.
“But he was obviously having quite a lot of back issues as well, wasn’t he?
“Look, at times, his level was good. But equally, at times, he was being really pushed by guys he’s always been able to beat much more easily than that. He went three sets with Hanfmann, three sets with Munar, two tight sets with Zizou Bergs. It was not peak Djokovic level.
“So if you think he went to win the title and maybe even beat a Sinner or Alcaraz; I think them not being in the tournament, certainly Alcaraz not even starting it, Sinner having to retire so early in it, that might have opened it up as a chance for Djokovic to win it.
“But he might have gone there hoping to play one of them and test his own level against them over best of three.
“So from that point of view, I think you have to say I don’t think he got out of Shanghai what he wanted at all.”
He added, “However, I’m having a slight readjustment of why Novak Djokovic is playing tennis at all, and I’ve always thought he’s only playing to win. But he’s kind of told us that he is looking for these moments, he is looking for appreciation and love and he’s getting that.
“I mean, the reception he gets in China has always been incredible. I think he’s earned it and deserved it by the way that he really does go out of his way to… he speaks pretty good Chinese, and he writes on the camera, and he spends a lot of time with the fans. He really does respect the culture that is over there and the fans that he has there and all of that.
“And I do think now that is a big reason as to why he’s still playing, and he got that, he got a lot of love, he got a lot of incredible moments flat on his back after dropping the second set against Munar, looking down and out, and then coming back and defiantly winning the third set. I’m starting to think that these little moments now are what Novak Djokovic is in it for.
“I think there’s still part of him that wants to win these titles, but I no longer think it’s the be-all and end-all for him, so to answer your question, I don’t know. Because I do think there’s both.
“He wants to win, but he wants more than that, and he got more than that, but he didn’t win. I really don’t know, I wonder whether you have more clarity in your answer, but I just feel like that’s where we’re going to be now with Novak Djokovic.
“Constantly weighing up these different elements of why he’s still playing. And some weeks will give him that satisfaction and some weeks won’t.
“And I think on the whole this one probably did. He had a run, he got the love, but it’s hard to look past those physical issues and see how much he was struggling and when I think about him talking about LA Olympics and all that kind of thing – when you see him like this it’s kind of like ‘what state is he going to be in, in two years time?’
“I think he’s gathering evidence in terms of what his exit out of the sport is going to be. And I don’t know whether it’s completely clear in his mind. As always, he remains, whenever he’s in the draw, he makes it more compelling and more fascinating.”
Whitaker then asked Law if he agreed with Roberts. “Do you agree David? Do you think there’s been a shift in mentality and motivation from Djokovic?”
Law replied: “I definitely think over the last year there has, this is not isolated. Most tournaments that he has been in, he has ended up looking physically less than when he started, much more than anybody else, and much more than he ever has. and he’s acknowledging.
“It’s like his body can’t really cope with the rigours of a full tournament. Maybe it would in a 250 or something like that, a one-week 500, I don’t know. Maybe he just needs a bit of good luck and his body to handle it for a couple of weeks, because I don’t think it’s for lack of preparation or anything like that.
“You could say lack of matches going into a Grand Slam, perhaps, but I trust him to be turning every stone over in practice and in preparation. He just happens to be 38 and is starting to look like it now.
“The big question mark for me is whether he has in his mind already decided what the exit is. And it might be sooner than… I’m not so sure it is just tournament-to-tournament, and see how I feel now. I have no evidence for that, I don’t know that.
“He doesn’t subscribe to that in things he says out loud. He said he thinks about it, he just may not have reached a decision or a conclusion.
“But I still wouldn’t be at all surprised if next year is his last. And I think that would be absolutely fine for him, his legacy.
“I just hope for him that it isn’t kind of limping something and realising I can’t play anymore at all like it was for Roger Federer. That’s what I hope he manages to avoid – that he can figure out some sort of way that he wants to go and get that.”
Whitaker then added that 2026 is set to be the year when Djokovic retires from tennis. “I think I expect next year to be his last. What exactly that looks like, I don’t know, but I think I do expect 2026 to be the end of the road for Novak Djokovic.
“And maybe he’s thinking, ‘well, if I do a farewell tour next year, does that tour go beyond the Grand Slam season.’ Maybe he’s thinking, ‘this is my last chance to play Shanghai,’ and that was his motivation for being there this year. It’s certainly very possible, I think.”
Law added that Djokovic can retire after playing at Wimbledon next year. “I can imagine it being Wimbledon, personally, because I think he really does want to play one more Wimbledon. I just have a feeling that might be what happens, that he decides that’s the perfect note.”
For the unversed, Djokovic has won seven Wimbledon titles and is only one more win away from equalling Roger Federer’s record of eight SW19 triumphs.