Novak Djokovic will turn 39 in May, as some fans question whether he should retire from tennis.
The Serb’s longevity is mightily impressive, but it’s safe to say Djokovic isn’t the player he once was.
He hasn’t won a title above the ATP 250 level in 590 days.
Novak Djokovic or Tiger Woods… who is the better sportsman? 🤔
That doesn’t mean he needs to retire, though, and tennis legend Jimmy Connors is tired of hearing it.
Jimmy Connors doesn’t like people telling Novak Djokovic to quit tennis
During the latest episode of ‘Advantage Connors‘, the 73-year-old said the following.
“Here is another thing I don’t like. I don’t like people going round saying he should quit,” said Connors.
“There is only one guy who is going to tell me that he’s going to quit, and that’s him.
“You can’t take away something that somebody loves so much.
“The way that he has played, his record shows it, how much he enjoys doing what he is doing, and still trying to be at the level that satisfies him.
“I think that is more the key.
ATP Top 10
- 1. Carlos Alcaraz – 13,550 points
- 2. Jannik Sinner – 11,400 points
- 3. Novak Djokovic – 5,370 points
- 4. Alexander Zverev – 4,905 points
- 5. Lorenzo Musetti – 4,365 points
- 6. Alex de Minaur – 4,185 points
- 7. Taylor Fritz – 4,170 points
- 8. Felix Auger-Aliassime – 4,000 points
- 9. Ben Shelton – 3,860 points
- 10. Daniil Medvedev – 3,610 points
“I don’t think he has to please anybody.
“He does not have to please me; I’m a spectator.
“He has to please himself, and if he walks out of there and feels like he has done everything that he can, which he does, and it seems like he does every day, you cannot ask for any more than that.”
Novak Djokovic’s record in 2026 (7-2)
| Match | Opponent | Opponent’s rank | Result | Score |
| 2026 Indian Wells – 4R | Jack Draper | 14th | LOSS | 6-4, 4-6, 6-7 |
| 2026 Indian Wells – 3R | Aleksandar Kovacevic | 72nd | WIN | 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 |
| 2026 Indian Wells – 2R | Kamil Majchrzak | 57th | WIN | 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 |
| 2026 Australian Open – F | Carlos Alcaraz | 1st | LOSS | 6-2, 2-6, 3-6, 5-7 |
| 2026 Australian Open – SF | Jannik Sinner | 2nd | WIN | 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 |
| 2026 Australian Open – QF | Lorenzo Musetti | 5th | WIN | 4-6, 3-6, 3-1 (RET) |
| 2026 Australian Open – 4R | Jakub Mensik | 17th | – | Walkover |
| 2026 Australian Open – 3R | Botic van de Zandschulp | 75th | WIN | 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 |
| 2026 – Australian Open – 2R | Francesco Maestrelli | 141st | WIN | 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 |
| 2026 Australian Open – 1R | Pedro Martinez | 71st | WIN | 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 |
Djokovic at 38, is ranked third in the world.
And he played a Grand Slam final just two months ago.
Most players could only dream of accomplishing such a goal, but Djokovic is doing it at the tail-end of his career.
The 24-time major champion is still one of the best players in men’s tennis and has a lot more left to give.
But when will we see the Serb return to action?
Novak Djokovic will skip the Miami Open
Djokovic has withdrawn from the upcoming Miami Open.
The Serb reached the final in Florida last year, meaning he will drop 650 points from his current total.
As a result, Alexander Zverev will take his top-three spot away from him, and Djokovic could fall further down the rankings, depending on how others perform.
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It remains to be seen where Djokovic will compete next…
Some had questioned whether he would miss the clay-court season entirely, although that seems unlikely.
In 2025, he played four tournaments on clay, winning one title.
Novak Djokovic on clay in 2025
- 2025 Monte-Carlo Masters – Lost in 2R to Alejandro Tabilo
- 2025 Madrid Open – Lost in 2R to Matteo Arnaldi
- 2025 Geneva Open – Champion
- 2025 French Open – Lost in SF to Jannik Sinner
He played his first tournament in Monte-Carlo last year, but may choose to skip the event in 2026.
The Serb has struggled in the Principality as of late, reaching the semifinals just once in his last nine attempts.
He could instead take a longer break, perhaps returning at the Italian Open, one of his favorite Masters 1000 events.
Novak Djokovic’s Masters 1000 record
| Tournament | Surface | Titles | Win/Loss record | Win % |
| Indian Wells | Hard | 5 | 53-12 | 82% |
| Miami Open | Hard | 6 | 49-8 | 86% |
| Monte-Carlo Masters | Clay | 2 | 39-16 | 71% |
| Madrid Open | Clay | 3 | 30-10 | 75% |
| Italian Open | Clay | 6 | 68-12 | 85% |
| Canadian Open | Hard | 4 | 37-7 | 84% |
| Cincinnati Open | Hard | 3 | 45-12 | 79% |
| Shanghai Masters | Hard | 4 | 49-10 | 83% |
| Paris Masters | Hard (Indoor) | 7 | 50-9 | 85% |
Then, he could head over to Paris, where he will resume his bid for Grand Slam number 25.
Only time will tell which clay-court events Djokovic will choose to play in 2026, but it will certainly be something to look out for.
The Monte-Carlo Masters main draw begins on Sunday, April 5.
