Novak Djokovic’s recent move from Serbia to Greece has stirred waves far beyond tennis. Once hailed as a national hero, the 24-time Grand Slam champion now finds himself at odds with his homeland’s political climate. His support of student protests and outspoken beliefs reportedly fueled tensions with the Serbian government, drawing harsh criticism from back home. Yet, amid the backlash, one former rival has stepped forward to offer a rare and powerful defense. And that’s none other than Andy Roddick. 

Taking to the Served Podcast, Roddick talked about his respect for Djokovic. And that stemmed from the fact that when the #5 ATP star says something out loud, he believes in it. Reflecting on his recent move to Greece, Roddick said, “I mean, he will move to Greece because of his belief system, right, and uproot everything. So, you have to respect that one way or the other.” The 2003 US Open champion even dragged Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal into the picture. He said, “Everyone believed that Roger [Federer] and Rafa [Nadal] were the best and no one was gonna break that, and he (Djokovic) goes, ‘I believe I can.’ And he did.” 

Roddick emphasized that Novak Djokovic completely commits himself when he believes something. And one simply has to respect that about him. Of course, there are a lot of people who say something and end up never doing it. But Djokovic “does the harder thing.” He ensures action upon what he says all the time. 

And then came the conversation about the 38-year-old’s retirement. It certainly is a hot topic in the tennis community. Even Roddick, who’s only five years older than Djokovic, acknowledged that no one knows how close the #5 player is to his retirement. But he’s certainly closer to the finish line. The analyst and podcaster continued, “We know that we probably won’t see him in three years out on tour. And also, it’s like, ‘Okay, I know I might have a year or two left, and I’m going to uproot my entire family, move schools, and move to a new place in the middle of this kind of sunset of my career, because I believe something, and because it’s controversial.’”

Furthermore, Roddick pointed out that the Serbian star has remained in the spotlight all the time. He compared Djokovic’s influence in Serbia with that of Pele in Brazil and Michael Jordan in the USA. The former tennis star said, “He is the biggest thing that has possibly ever existed in his country. For what he’s done in tennis, he’s created a legacy of tennis in his country that’s new and that is changing, and he’s defined so much of the culture, especially the sporting culture there.” And the backlash he’s receiving is something that Roddick feels is sad to see. After all, Djokovic has always shown up and played for Serbia. Roddick concluded his take with, “It’s an unfortunate situation.”

As Roddick reflected on Djokovic’s bold relocation and unwavering principles, his respect for the Serbian icon deepened, setting the stage for a broader discussion about legacy, belief, and retirement.

Novak Djokovic fires back at retirement questions

Competing at the age of 38 is no easy feat. It takes a really heavy toll on one’s body. The reaction time and recovery rate are slower than usual. And the athletes cannot afford to make mistakes that they used to shrug off in their early years. But when Djokovic was asked about his retirement, he swelled up in frustration. He yelled, “Why do I have to answer this question all the time?” Djokovic absolutely loves tennis. Despite his age, he has reached the semifinals of all Grand Slams this season. And justifying his frustration, he said, “I think I have the right to play for as long as I want.” 

Novak Djokovic proceeded to bring Stan Wawrinka into the discussion. Just like him, the 40-year-old Swiss star is also pretty active and reluctant to retire. Djokovic stated, “Stan Wawrinka also hears this question many times — have heard interviews from him and I think he is absolutely right when he says: ‘Hey guys, leave me alone. Let me play and have fun.’” It was a slam of the stereotype that athletes should retire at a certain age. But Djokovic isn’t just stuck in his reluctance. He’s constantly moving forward in his own way. 

Nevertheless, he understands that people are curious about his retirement. However, it’s not a subject that crosses his mind that often. He continued, “Of course I’ve thought of myself a few times, but in the end I decided to just play my way — play where I want to play, not where others think I should.” And thus, Novak Djokovic continues to garner respect from the tennis community.