Novak Djokovic has said he hopes to play until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics so that he can represent Serbia one more time. He served his nation well by winning gold at the 2026 Paris Games, but expecting to do so again in his early 40s is likely a bit too much to ask.
Age is the key. And no worries here, Djokovic fans. This isn't an article disparaging the player. He is arguably the best to ever pick up a racket, and his record number of weeks at No. 1, 40 Masters titles, and 24 Grand Slam victories back that up.
But the Serbian might finally be facing the rival that no one defeats: Time. His latest showing at the Cincinnati Open was not a pretty one. He played well enough to take the first set against 25-year-old Thiago Agustin Tirante, but then the heat got the best of Djokovic. He needed a medical timeout in the second set and appeared to wilt.
Time might have finally caught up with Novak Djokovic
Meanwhile, during the medical break, Tirante was walking on the court and talking to his coaches as if he were playing in 60-degree weather. He was not burdened by the conditions and was the far fresher player. The Argentine would eventually win the match in three sets, taking the last two 6-4, 604.
Djokovic wasn't going to use the heat as an excuse. One of his best traits when he loses a match is that he gives credit to his opponent. That is what true champions do. If they get beaten, they own it and don't try to pretend there are other reasons for the loss.
But Novak Djokovic is bound to suffer more losses in the same kind of way. As elite as he has been with his fitness, there is a difference between being in great shape for a human being, which Djokovic obviously is, and being in great professional tennis shape. The Serbian doesn't play as many tournaments now, and to stay in tennis shape, people need to play.
If Djokovic were 25 years old, taking much time off wouldn't be as difficult in returning to the sport, though it would still have an effect. But at 39 years old, and often facing players at least a decade younger, the conditions play a bigger part. This isn't anything Djokovic can help: Age catches up to everyone.
The hope is that he decides to retire before he suffers an injury. He is still an astonishing player, making the semifinals at majors with regularity. But that sustained level is probably the best he can do now. The question is whether Djokovic will be content with that.
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