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New Delhi: Novak Djokovic quashed all the retirement rumours after his exit from the US Open semifinal against Carlos Alcaraz. The Serb fell short in straight sets at Arthur Ashe Stadium, ending his hunt for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title.
Despite being outplayed for most of the match, Djokovic showed moments of brilliance in the second set, where he briefly led 3-0. The rumours around his future intensified soon after the defeat, but Djokovic clarified that he still wants to play in all the majors in 2026.
While acknowledging the physical challenges, he emphasised that the Grand Slams remain the biggest stage for him. He also noted that shorter formats and Masters tournaments may favour him more in the upcoming years, but insisted that his hunger for the game and competing at the biggest level remains strong.
"We’ll see. I have to address that with my team. After this Grand Slam season, the feeling is definitely there—not to say I’ll skip Grand Slams. I still want to play a full Grand Slam season next year, but whether that happens, we’ll see,".
He further added that the slams are special, as they’re different from any other tournament, the pillars of our sport and the most important events we have.
Djokovic reached the semi-finals of all four Grand Slams this season but failed to qualify for a single final. He retired midway through his match against Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open, before losing against Jannik Sinner at both the French Open and Wimbledon. At the US Open, he suffered a defeat against Carlos Alcaraz. He praised both Sinner and Alcaraz, admitting that he ran out of gas after the second set of his semi-final in New York.
"After the second set, I ran out of gas. I had enough energy to battle and keep up with his rhythm for two sets, but after that, I was spent, and he just kept going,".
Djokovic also said that he felt the same this year against Jannik as the best-of-five matches make it very difficult for him, especially in the later stages of a Grand Slam.
