Jan 24, 2025; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Novak Djokovic of Serbia exits after his match against Alexander Zverev of Germany in the semifinals of the men's singles at the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park.

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Novak Djokovic Drops Huge Bombshell on Retirement Plan After Winning ATP Hellenic Championship 2025

The Serb captured his 101st title in Athens.

Ever since his victory at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the world of tennis wants to know when Novak Djokovic will be retiring. The 24-time Grand Slam champion has given people so much joy and exhilaration over the years, that it is only natural for them to question the duration of this happiness. After capturing his 101st title at the ATP Hellenic Championship 2025 in Athens, Djokovic provided a game-changing update on his retirement plans.

I dedicate this win to the wonderful people of Greece. You support me, you support tennis, you’ve made me feel at home 🙏🏼. Huge gratitude also to everyone who made this beautiful new tournament so special. Σας ευχαριστώ, για όλα

To Lorenzo, what an epic battle. Congratulations… pic.twitter.com/hNBWaKv6X9
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) November 8, 2025

On Saturday, fans at the Greek capital danced the night away as Nole defeated Lorenzo Musetti 4-6 6-3 7-5 in a thrilling final that lasted around three hours. It happened to be Djokovic’s 14th ATP-250 trophy, and his second championship run of the 2025 campaign. Although the loss meant that Musetti failed to directly qualify for the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals, Djokovic withdrew from the event after the final – meaning that the Italian qualified as a replacement.

Djokovic cited a shoulder injury as his reason for not competing in Turin. The 38-year-old has endured a challenging season this year, which eventually culminated with a record of 39-11. He reached the semifinal stage at all four majors, and also finished as the Miami Open runner-up alongside his two titles. Prior to the Hellenic Championship, Djokovic also made the semis at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

Novak Djokovic Talks Career Goals & Plans After Athens Triumph

Despite being riddled with injury concerns and niggles, the 2025 season has been phenomenal for Djokovic on the whole. Speaking to the media after his titanic triumph in Athens, the Serbian icon reiterated his strong desire to continue playing. He discussed the upcoming 2026 season, his short term and long term goals, as well as the obstacles to his potential progress.

“I’ve always had this throughout my life and my career, wherein I’ve had a schedule in my head for a year or more,” he stated. “I know what I want, how I want it. Since I’ve achieved absolutely all possible goals, I mentioned the 2028 Olympics because I wanted to play for so many years. So maybe ending up at the Olympic Games with the Serbian flag – it would be nice.”

Novak Djokovic with that 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 at 38 years old 🤩🐐 pic.twitter.com/YxMukpL2PA
— GiveMeSport (@GiveMeSport) November 9, 2025

However, Djokovic also pointed out that all he can do is control the controllable, and leave the rest up to fate. “I don’t know [if it is a realistic goal], I really don’t know. There are some things that are not entirely in my control. I’m trying to be as healthy as possible mentally and physically.” Considering the Djoker’s history, it will come as a surprise to nobody if he manages to compete and succeed in 2028.

(Image Credits: Mike Frey, Imagn Images)

ATP

LA Olympics 2028

Lorenzo Musetti

Nitto ATP Finals

Novak Djokovic

Paris Olympics 2024

Tennis

Sankalp Harikrishnan

A passionate sports fan through and through, I am currently pursuing my MA in Global Sports Journalism. I specialise in tennis and football writing at The Playoffs News, and I have prior experience working at EssentiallySports and Sportskeeda. Born and raised in Bengaluru, India, sport was my safe space right from my childhood. After trying my hand at multiple sports and representing my educational institutions in cricket, badminton and table tennis, I found sports media to be my calling.