How much longer will Novak Djokovic continue to play tennis? Time eventually catches up with everyone, and while the 38-year-old has dialed back how many tournaments he plays, he has still managed to be somewhat successful, even while not winning as much.
Many players might trade their seasons for Djokovic's 2025 season, for instance. He didn't win a Grand Slam, but made the semifinals at all four. His issues when he got late in a major were the same ones as everyone else's: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
What he didn't seem to struggle with much were injuries. That might be changing at the beginning of 2026. The 24-time Grand Slam winner pulled out of the Adelaide International because he didn't feel fit enough. Now, according to Tennis365, Djokovic had to call a practice session off after just 12 minutes, dealing with what appeared to be a neck problem.
Novak Djokovic might be dealing with a neck injury ahead of the 2026 Australian Open
This could only be a precautionary measure, and maybe he will be fit enough by the time the major begins on Sunday to play, but the next few days will be worth watching for Novak Djokovic news. Even while he is an older player, he is a dangerous one, and Alcaraz and Sinner know it.
This is especially true in Melbourne, where Djokovic has won 10 titles, his last coming in 2018. He hasn't failed to make at least the semifinals in any Aussie Open he has played since 2018. (In 2022, he wasn't allowed to play due to a lack of being vaccinated for COVID-19.)
This could be Djokovic's final try in Melbourne. He has been open about playing only as long as he felt he had a chance to win the tournaments he entered. Making the semifinals likely gives someone the idea that they could win the event, but Alcaraz and Sinner have made that impossible for anyone else over the last two years.
Many tennis fans would likely love for Novak Djokovic to get one more Grand Slam title. 25 has a ring to it that 24 doesn't. Maybe then, he would retire as the greatest player in the history of the sport.