Novak Djokovic Says He Thought About Retirement During Nadal Ceremony, No 'Exact Date'

Novak Djokovic revealed that retirement was on his mind while making an appearance honoring former rival Rafael Nadal at Roland-Garros on Sunday.

“Honestly, I was thinking about my end of the road as well yesterday when we were watching Rafa having his speech,” Djokovic said, per Charlie Eccleshare of The Athletic. “Particularly those moments when we were in the back room, the three of us, and I was just, yeah, obviously talking to Federer and Murray about their good-byes and reminiscing and reflecting on the rivalries, and of course part of me is proud that I’m still there, that I’m still going, but at the same time, I was, and I still am a bit sad that they’re all gone because those guys were my greatest motivations for why I competed so intensely and for so long."

“But I didn’t think about the exact date, if that’s what you’re looking for,” he added.

Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray made a surprise appearance and joined Nadal for a celebration at Court Philippe-Chatrier, as Nadal was honored with a plaque that featured his footprint on the court.

The four men have combined to win 69 Grand Slam titles and routinely clashed during the heights of their respective careers, although Djokovic is the only one still active. Nadal retired most recently, doing so in Oct. 2024.

Djokovic holds the all-time record for men's singles Grand Slam titles with 24, although his last victory occurred at the 2023 U.S. Open.

The 38-year-old fell to Alexander Zverev in the 2025 Australian Open semifinals.

Still, Djokovic has shown that he remains one of the top players in the world as of late. He's entering the French Open off a victory in the Geneva Open final on Saturday, marking the 100th ATP singles title of his career.

Djokovic revealed that retirement crossed his mind while watching Nadal receive recognition for his illustrious career, but he doesn't have any specific date that he plans to step away from the sport.