Mon Jun 30 11:40:00 UTC 2025: **Djokovic Addresses “Last Dance” Rumors, Highlights Wimbledon as Potential Path to Historic 25th Slam**
WIMBLEDON, England – Novak Djokovic, fielding the now-familiar questions about his potential retirement, acknowledged that Wimbledon might offer his best shot at securing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title. Speaking ahead of his first-round match against Alexandre Muller, the 38-year-old addressed speculation about this being his “last dance” at SW19.
“Whether it could be my ‘last dance,’ I’m not sure – as I’m not sure about Roland Garros or any other Slam that I play next,” Djokovic stated, echoing sentiments he’s expressed previously. While admitting uncertainty, he expressed a desire to play for “several more years,” emphasizing the importance of physical health and mental motivation.
Djokovic, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, highlighted his past success and comfort on the grass courts as factors making this tournament a prime opportunity. He aims to surpass Roger Federer’s eight Wimbledon titles and move within one of Martina Navratilova’s record nine. Djokovic has dominated Wimbledon in recent years, reaching the finals in the last six stagings of the tournament, securing victories in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 before losses to Carlos Alcaraz in the last two finals.
Despite not winning a Grand Slam since the 2023 US Open, Djokovic remains a formidable competitor. He reached the semifinals of both the Australian Open (where he withdrew due to injury) and the French Open this year. Furthermore, he underscored his recent gold medal victory over Alcaraz at the Paris Olympics as a testament to his continued high level of play.
“These tournaments give me the biggest drive, still,” Djokovic said, expressing his positive physical state and promising form in practice. The veteran player has made it clear that the persistent questions about retirement, similar to those posed to Federer, Nadal, and Williams in their later years, are not impacting his hunger to compete and to add to his legacy. He will be looking to start the tournament off strong today against Muller.
First Piper 