Novak Djokovic has expressed his desire to remain active in the world of tennis, following comments made by his father about his retirement plans.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion, still competing at an elite level at age 37, recently added an Olympic gold medal to his illustrious career in Paris. Djokovic may even continue playing until the Los Angeles Games in 2028, as he hinted at the possibility of extending his career by another four years.
Nevertheless, the Serbian legend has naturally contemplated his post-tennis life, envisioning a future where he can contribute back to the sport that has given him so much. Before his first match at the Shanghai Masters today (Saturday), Djokovic stated: “My love for tennis will never fade away.
“I have a lot of emotions when I’m playing, and not particularly only in the tournament, but also practice sessions. Sometimes it’s not always going your way, but I think my relationship with tennis goes much deeper than a tournament or a year or success or failure.”
He continued, “It’s just a sport that I fell in love with when I was very young and I still have the love for the sport. Even when I retire from professional tennis, I feel like I’m going to stay in tennis, stay involved in different roles because I feel like I owe this sport a lot for what it has been giving to me.”
Djokovic’s father, Srdjan, also recently provided more details on his son’s plans for retirement. With homes in both New York and Monaco, Djokovic and his family have a range of options for where they could eventually settle.
“I think there is no greater satisfaction, pride and success than your child spreading the glory of his people and his country all over the world,” Srdjan said.
In 2018, Novak bought a three-bedroom penthouse in New Belgrade overlooking Lake Pavlova for £505,000. His impressive property holdings also include a luxury apartment in New York’s SoHo district, which he purchased for £7.5 million in 2017, along with stylish properties in Monaco and Marbella.