Is Novak Djokovic Hinting at a 2028 Olympic Farewell Tour?
Novak Djokovic, the seemingly ageless titan of tennis, might finally be letting us peek at the last chapter of his storied career. While most athletes his age are comfortably settled into retirement, commentating, or launching questionable fashion lines, Djokovic is eyeing a grand finale that would see him swinging a racket past his 40th birthday. But after a year plagued by injuries and the rise of a new generation, even the Serbian legend is starting to sound a little less certain about his own endurance.
Fresh off a victory at the Hellenic Championship in Athens, his new city of residence, Djokovic found himself once again fielding the inevitable questions about retirement. It’s a topic that has followed him for years, but this time, his answers came with a side of realism we haven’t often seen from the fiercely determined 24-time Grand Slam champion.
The LA 2028 Dream: One Last Hurrah?
For years, Djokovic has been crystal clear about one of his remaining ambitions: to compete in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. After finally capturing that elusive Olympic gold in Paris last year, you’d think he might be satisfied. But no, for Djokovic, the dream is to go out with the Serbian flag waving high, defending his title at the ripe old age of 41.
“Since I’ve achieved absolutely all possible goals, I said about the 2028 Olympics because I wanted to play for so many more years,” Djokovic told reporters in Athens. “So maybe ending up at the Olympic Games with the Serbian flag, that would be nice.”
It sounds like a perfect, movie-like ending. The problem? Father Time is undefeated, and even Djokovic is starting to feel the burn. The Sinner/Alcaraz era is in full swing, and Djokovic, while still competitive, isn’t the dominant force he once was. He then added a dose of uncharacteristic uncertainty to his grand plan: “I don’t know, I mean, I really don’t know, because there are some things that are not entirely in my control. I’m trying to be as healthy as possible mentally and physically.” This admission is a crack in the armor, a sign that the relentless grind is taking its toll.
A Controversial Exit and Lingering Questions
The doubts surrounding his 2028 goal are amplified by his recent actions. Just hours after winning his 101st career title in Athens by defeating Lorenzo Musetti, Djokovic pulled a classic Djokovic move and withdrew from the ATP Finals in Turin, citing an ongoing injury. The decision, made at the eleventh hour, didn’t just cause chaos for the tournament organizers—who had to scramble to get alternate Lorenzo Musetti into the draw—it also raised some serious eyebrows.
Critics slammed the late withdrawal, but more telling was the statement he released. His Instagram post was filled with apologies to fans but conspicuously lacked the usual “hope to see you next year” line. It was a small omission, but in the world of professional sports, it spoke volumes. Is Djokovic losing the motivation to compete in the tour’s biggest non-major events?
His body has betrayed him more frequently over the last couple of years. After a grueling career, the recovery time gets longer, and the injuries get more persistent. It’s hard to imagine him sustaining this for another three seasons without significantly scaling back his schedule to a “majors and Olympics only” kind of tour.
For now, Djokovic is shutting down his season to rest and prepare for 2026. His first major test will be the Australian Open, a tournament he has dominated with 10 titles. How he performs in Melbourne will be a huge indicator of what’s to come. Can the old guard fend off the new kings for another year, or is this the beginning of the end? One thing is for sure: with Djokovic, it’s never boring.
