John McEnroe has delivered his instant reaction to what was a heartwarming but hugely intriguing post-match speech from Novak Djokovic.
The Serbian spoke after his loss to Carlos Alcaraz, where he saw his one-set lead evaporate before his very eyes.
A slow start from the Spaniard, combined with some supreme ball-striking, saw him storm ahead, as he gave everything he could in pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam title.
Alas, the youthful energy of his opponent proved too much, as he only got better as the match went on.
Perhaps it was the nature of how this clash played out, but Novak Djokovic made a really surprising claim in his runner-up speech. Now, rumours of his potential retirement this year will arguably be louder than ever.
John McEnroe reacts to odd Novak Djokovic claim after losing final
It was not a particularly outlandish or outstanding comment from the Serbian, but the way in which it was delivered has left many tennis fans concerned.
After all, he concluded his speech by simply noting: “God knows what happens tomorrow, let alone in six or 12 months, so it has been a great ride – I love you guys.”
Should Djokovic retire whatever happens in the Australian Open final and go out in a blaze of glory?
This also came with no ‘see you next year’ afterwards, and speaking live on ESPN after, John McEnroe stated: “Can I just say quickly how what a class act Novak was in his speech, how gracious that was.
“It was really a beautiful thing to see, and he hasn’t gotten sort of the love that he’s wanted over the years, but he’s gonna get it certainly, for what remains in his career, and obviously, having not committed to next year, who knows?
“He doesn’t know, we don’t know, but thank you for that.”
Patrick McEnroe, who was on the call beside his brother, would add: “I think this meant a lot to him. It certainly meant a lot to his fans, you know, what he was able to do here. And I think he expressed that well.
Can Carlos Alcaraz win MORE Grand Slams than Novak Djokovic? 🤔
“And I think he also realised how much it took for him to beat Sinner, to play as well as he did against Alcaraz. And you just have to start to wonder when you hear him talk. You know, is the end maybe near?”
Djokovic explains what let him down in the final, with a declining physicality surely the only reason he would actually consider retirement.
Novak Djokovic can’t retire after that Australian Open run
If ever there was a time for Djokovic to truly consider retiring, now is not it.
Not after the tournament he has just enjoyed, where he re-established himself not only as the third-best player in the world, but also a genuine threat to the top two above him.
He beat Jannik Sinner across a five-set epic, and were it not for the physical exhaustion of that previous match, perhaps he might have been able to hold onto his one-set lead in the final too.
Djokovic is more than capable of challenging for the game’s elite honours, and this Australian Open final proves it.
The 38-year-old still has too much left to offer this sport to consider stepping away, especially after coming so close to his ultimate goal.
