Novak Djokovic's Huge Retirement Hint After French Open Semi-Final Loss: 'Could Be My Last...'
Following his loss to world number one Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of the French Open, Serbian tennis icon Novak Djokovic said that the match could be his last ever played at the venue and he is uncertain if he will return for another title chase a year later. Djokovic's top form cooled off as Sinner's quality shotmaking helped him seal a title clash with rival Carlos Alcaraz. Sinner defeated three-time French Open winner and 100-time tour-level titlist 6-4, 7-5, 7-6(3). After his loss, he packed his bags and waved to a cheering crowd goodbye before leaving the court.
The match featured points earned all over the tennis court, Sinner's precision and power, and his great serve. This all overwhelmed the 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic and helped the 23-year-old set up a first-ever major final between players born in the 2000s.
Alcaraz stands one victory away from defending his crown at Paris after Italy's Lorenzo Musetti retired in the fourth set of their gripping semi-final clash on Friday. The 22-year-old Spaniard led Musetti 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-0, 2-0 when the Italian retired from the match after two hours and 25 minutes.
Speaking after the post-match presser as quoted by ATP's official website, Djokovic said, "This could have been the last match ever I played here, so I do not know. That is why I was a bit more emotional even in the end."
"If this was the farewell match of the Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd."
"Do I wish to play more? Yes, I do. But will I be able to play in 12 months' time here again? I don't know. That is all I can say for the moment," he said.
Speaking about his match, during which he showed some moments of brilliance, Djokovic, a 24-time major champion, said that "he did give him (Sinner) a run for his money".
"I tried to make him work till the last shot. I did what I could. This is sport. You have to just shake the hand of the better player and move on. I must say that I was proud of my effort tonight [and] in this tournament, considering I was not in great form coming into Roland Garros, but he was just too good for me tonight," he added.
Djokovic, who trails Sinner by 4-5 in head-to-head record, praised his opponent, saying that he has been playing "tennis of his life".
"Jannik is the kind of player who loves to play at a very fast pace the entire match. He is very physical. He is very fit, and he is striking the ball incredibly well. He seems to always be on good timing. Rarely he is off-balance, and he is just playing the tennis of his life," he said.
On the Alcaraz-Sinner title clash, Djokovic said that the sport needs their rivalry. The title clash will be taking place on Sunday.
"The way they are playing and the way they are approaching tennis life, I think they are going to have very successful careers. I am sure that we are going to see them lifting the big trophies quite often," he concluded.
Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
Who is Coco Gauff, the 21-year-old American tennis star, who has defeated the world No. 1
Credit: X/@rolandgarros Coco Gauff pulled off a sensational comeback to defeat world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the French Open final on Saturday, securing her second Grand Slam singles title. With this win, the 21-year-old American tennis star has once again proven she's not just a rising talent — she's a force to be reckoned with. But beyond the court, Gauff's life is a mix of ambition, balance, and growing influence. — Phil_Lewis_ (@Phil_Lewis_) The making of a star Gauff burst into the global spotlight in 2019 at just 15 years old when she defeated her idol Venus Williams in the first round at Wimbledon. That victory sparked a meteoric rise. Her first Grand Slam win came at the 2023 U.S. Open, and her second — the French Open triumph this weekend — solidifies her place among the sport's elite. Raised in Delray Beach, Florida, Coco comes from an athletic family: her father played college basketball, and her mother was a track and field star. That discipline shaped her into a focused competitor with a maturity well beyond her years. Brains and Balance Even while building a professional tennis career, Gauff has kept education in focus. She completed high school in 2022 through online classes and has continued her learning journey through college-level courses remotely. Her parents have emphasized that education remains a cornerstone, and Coco has echoed that belief in interviews, often saying she wants to be more than just a tennis player. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Scam Exposed: What They Won't Tell You about zero trust! Expertinspector Click Here Undo Source: X Net worth and endorsements In 2025, Coco Gauff's net worth is estimated between $3.5 million and $21.7 million. Forbes lists the upper figure, while most financial outlets place it closer to $10–$12 million. Her earnings are driven largely by more than $15 million in career prize money, including payouts from the 2023 U.S. Open and 2025 French Open wins, as well as a portfolio of lucrative endorsements. Gauff's brand partnerships are a who's who of global names: New Balance (where she has her own apparel line and an upcoming signature shoe), Barilla, Rolex, Head, Bose, and UPS. Her collaboration with New Balance is especially significant, positioning her not just as an athlete but as a marketable icon in fashion and lifestyle. Source: X/@_MissLeandra Love life and lifestyle While Gauff keeps her private life largely out of the spotlight, in a 2024 interview with the People she confirmed being in a relationship with someone who comes from a non-tennis background. Despite her rising fame, Gauff remains grounded. She travels with her family when possible, enjoys watching anime, and is known to unplug from social media when the pressure of competition builds. At 21, Coco Gauff has already accomplished more than most athletes twice her age. With two Grand Slam titles under her belt and a steady climb in the WTA rankings, she's poised for a dominant run. But it's not just her skill that sets her apart — it's her poise, her perspective, and her ability to inspire.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Tennis-Gauff continues American renaissance by stunning Sabalenka for French Open glory
PARIS -Coco Gauff continued a spectacular season for American women at the Grand Slams when she battled from a set down to topple world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a lacklustre French Open final for a maiden Roland Garros crown on Saturday. The 21-year-old's 6-7 6-2 6-4 victory helped her become the first American to capture the singles trophy in Paris since Serena Williams in 2015 and the youngest from the United States to achieve the feat since her decorated compatriot in 2002. Victory, which follows colleague Madison Keys' Australian Open triumph, helped the erase memories of Gauff's crushing loss to Iga Swiatek in 2022 and confirmed her pedigree on the biggest stage after a breakthrough triumph at the 2023 U.S. Open. "I was going through a lot of things when I lost here three years ago," said Gauff, who has won both her major titles after rallying from a set down to beat Sabalenka. "I'm just glad to be back here. I was going through a lot of dark thoughts. Three finals ... I guess I got the most important win. That's all that matters," added the American who had tripped up at the final hurdle in the Madrid and Rome finals last month. Gauff provided some comic relief later when she dropped the lid of the Suzanne Lenglen Cup while posing for a photo, before dedicating her victory to 'Americans who look like me' during her press conference. UNFORCED ERRORS Paris was guaranteed a new champion but the first clash between the top two women in the world rankings in a major final since the 2018 Australian Open failed to live up to its billing on Court Philippe Chatrier with 100 unforced errors in total. Competing in her third straight Grand Slam final but first on the sport's slowest surface, Sabalenka broke to love in the third game with smart play at the net and mixed delicate drop shots and raw power to lead 4-1 in the first set. Gauff was undeterred and broke back from 0-40 down after a shaky service game by Sabalenka and hung on to draw level after eight games as the vocal centre court crowd spurred her on to prolong the contest. What followed was a festival of mistakes from both players in blustery conditions, before Gauff forced a tiebreak with a neat backhand winner, only to squander a 4-1 advantage as Sabalenka roared back to take the opening set. Second seed Gauff barely flinched and she dialled up the intensity in the second set by claiming four of the opening five games and levelled the match after her opponent's staggering unforced error count climbed to 51. "It was super tough when I walked on the court and felt the wind, because we warmed up with the roof closed," Gauff said. "I was like, 'this is going to be a tough day' and I knew it was just going to be about will power. It came down to the last few points, but overall I'm just really happy with the fight that I managed today. "It wasn't pretty, but it got the job done, and that's all that matters." WILD CELEBRATIONS The 2022 Paris runner-up stepped up another level in the deciding set to build a 3-1 lead before Sabalenka clawed her way back, but she composed herself just in time and wrapped up the win to spark wild celebrations among her fans. Gauff dropped to the ground in disbelief before shedding tears of joy and racing up the stands to meet her team, while Sabalenka was left to digest another major final defeat after losing the Australian Open title clash to Keys in January. The result denied the 27-year-old the chance to become the only active woman on tour to lift singles titles at three of the four Grand Slams after her success at the Australian Open in 2023-24 and the U.S. Open last year. "You're a fighter, a hard worker, so congratulations to you and your team," a tearful Sabalenka said. The three-times major champion said it was a forgettable final after a solid two weeks. "It was honestly the worst tennis I've played in the last, I don't know how many months," Sabalenka added. "The conditions were terrible and she simply was better in these conditions. It was the worst final I've ever played."
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Coco Gauff defeats top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in three sets to win her first French Open title
Coco Gauff won the French Open for the first time by defeating top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 in Saturday's final. The second-ranked Gauff came out on top of a contest that was full of tension and momentum swings to claim her second major trophy after the 2023 U.S. Open, where she also came from a set down to beat Sabalenka in the final. Gauff raised the winners' trophy aloft, then kissed it several times. She held her hand over her heart when the U.S. national anthem played. It was the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 final in Paris since 2013, when Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova, and just the second in the last 30 years. After Sabalenka sent a backhand wide on Gauff's second match point, the 21-year-old American fell onto her back, covering her face with both hands as she started to sob, then got up and held her hand over her mouth. She continued to sob as she patted the clay with her left hand. After greeting Sabalenka at the net with a warm hug and thanking the umpire, Gauff screamed out with joy and relief, then got to her knees and crouched forward, continuing to cry as she savored the win. She hugged later film director Spike Lee and celebrated with her entourage in her box, three years after she lost in her first Grand Slam final at Roland-Garros. In her on-court speech, she said that defeat in 2022 at the age of 18 put her in a 'dark place' and then thanked the fans on Court-Philippe Chatrier, who were rooting mostly for her. 'The crowd really helped me today, you guys were cheering for me so hard and I don't know what I did to deserve so much love from the French crowd," she said. "But I appreciate you, guys.' Sabalenka was in tears moments earlier when she made her speech. Struggling to find her words, she praised Gauff for being a 'fighter' and said she deserved the win, but added that the windy conditions made for an error-strewn contest. 'This will hurt so much. Coco, congrats, in the tough conditions you were a better player than me," she said. 'Well done, great two weeks, and congrats on the second Grand Slam, it's well deserved.' Sabalenka started the deciding set strongly, sticking to her high-risk approach to hold her first service game. Gauff responded by raising her level, winning a superb rally in the third game that drew loud cheers. After an intense exchange of drop shots, Gauff hit a lob that Sabalenka chased down before attempting a shot between her legs — only for Gauff to intercept it at the net and finish with a winner. Gauff was consistent from the baseline and earned a break point which she converted when Sabalenka double-faulted, giving her a 2-1 lead. Sabalenka turned toward her box and shouted in frustration but then regained her composure, breaking back to level the match at 3-3. She was broken again at love, however, and Gauff then held serve twice to claimed the title after a match that lasted 2 hours, 38 minutes. Gauff now owns two French Open trophies after winning last year's women's doubles title. (AP) UNG
