Wimbledon: Novak Djokovic planning return 'one more time' after semi-final loss to Jannik Sinner – Sky Sports

Tennis
Novak Djokovic said he plans on returning to play at Wimbledon next year after being knocked out by world No 1 Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals on Friday; Sinner will now face Carlos Alcaraz in a rematch of their thrilling five-set French Open final on Sunday
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Friday 11 July 2025 21:19, UK
Novak Djokovic insists Wimbledon has not seen the last of him after he was beaten comfortably in the semi-finals by a ruthless Jannik Sinner on Friday. 
It would come as the latest nod to a remodelled tennis landscape, a clinical Sinner out-striking and out-manoeuvring the 24-time Grand Slam champion across a straight-sets victory to tee up a coveted French Open rematch with Carlos Alcaraz, with the due looking primed to spearhead a new era for the sport.
A 38-year-old Djokovic knew which questions were about to come his way and which uncomfortable conversations he may be on the brink of facing.
But for now, the Serbian has ruled out his loss to the world No 1 serving as a final Wimbledon Centre Court bow.
“I would be sad [if it was his last Centre Court appearance] but hopefully it’s not my last match on Centre Court,” Djokovic told reporters.
“I’m not planning to finish my Wimbledon career today. I’m planning to come back definitely at least one more time, play on Centre Court for sure.”
Djokovic, so typically the inciter of anguish in the face of extraordinary court coverage and angle defiance across his glittering career, could only concede the frustration of seeing Sinner amplify a gulf in youth and movement.
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He admitted he had felt ‘compromised’ physically.
“Honestly, wasn’t really a pleasant feeling on the court,” he continued. “Yeah, I don’t want to talk in details about my injury and just whine about not managing to play my best. I want to congratulate Jannik for another great performance.
“That’s it. He’s in the finals. He was too strong. I do feel disappointed that I just wasn’t able to move as well as I thought or hoped that I would.”
Djokovic has not won a major since 2023, when he clinched three of the four while reaching the final of Wimbledon, and has fallen at the semi-final stage in the first three slams of 2025.
He was notably forced to retire injured with a muscle tear in the semi-final of the Australian Open against Alexander Zverev, while an apparent injury problem in his defeat to Sinner raised more attention over his durability in the latter years of his career.
“I don’t think it’s bad fortune,” he said. “It’s just age, the wear and tear of the body. As much as I’m taking care of it, the reality hits me right now, last year-and-a-half, like never before, to be honest.
“It’s tough for me to accept that because I feel like when I’m fresh, when I’m fit, I can still play really good tennis. I’ve proven that this year.
“But yeah, I guess playing best-of-five, particularly this year, has been a real struggle for me physically. The longer the tournament goes, the worse the condition gets. I reach the final stages, I reach the semis of every slam this year, but I have to play Sinner or Alcaraz.
“These guys are fit, young, sharp. I feel like I’m going into the match with tank half-empty. It’s just not possible to win a match like that. It is what it is, you know? It’s one of these things I accept and embrace in some way, deal with the reality the way it is and try to make the most out of it, I guess.”
Djokovic said he planned to speak to his team and family about his schedule moving forward but remains confident in his ability to compete physically with the best in the Grand Slams.
For so long, Djokovic has prided himself on meticulous and unwavering conditioning that has enabled him to govern the Grand Slam scene. While disappointed by untimely injuries this year, he was quick to remind of the many rewards previously reaped from his work behind the scenes.
“I don’t know what I can do differently, to be honest, because the amount of hours that I spend on a daily basis to take care of myself, I’d like to challenge everyone who is out there on the tour to see if anybody takes cares of themselves more than me,” he said.
“Unfortunately don’t get rewarded for that right now, with injuries at the later stages of slams. But I was rewarded for many years.
“I might see it right now as misfortune but I have gotten so much from God and the life in my career that it would be a disservice really from me to God and to my body and to everything that I had in my career to start complaining about injuries.
“I’ve been fit for so long and had an incredible career, so I’m just trying to make the maximum out of what I have left.”
Alcaraz booked his return to a third straight Wimbledon final earlier in the day when the five-time Grand Slam winner knocked out Taylor Fritz. Sinner, meanwhile, arrives as a three-time Grand Slam champion having just joined Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Djokovic as the only men to reach the final of every Slam since 1995.
“After the finals they played in Paris, I think the anticipation for this final is big, is amazing,” said Djokovic. “They’re definitely several levels above everyone right now.
“I will give a slight edge to Carlos as a favourite because of the two titles he’s won here, the way he’s playing and the confidence he has right now.
“But it’s just a slight advantage because Jannik is hitting the ball extremely well. It’s going to be, again, a very close match-up like we had in Paris.”
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