When the 2026 Australian Open began, John McEnroe didn’t sound too confident about Novak Djokovic’s chances, even suggesting that maybe Novak didn’t believe he could win another major or beat players like Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz. But when Djokovic went all the way to the final, even beating Sinner, McEnroe could only marvel.

Sitting courtside with him, former Swedish pro Mats Wilander watched Djokovic storm through the first set 6-2 and couldn’t help but ask, “How does he do it? Novak is going to play for his 25th Grand Slam. It was unthinkable.”

That’s when McEnroe, in classic self-deprecating fashion, joked, “You realize… We each have 7 Grand Slam titles. I thought we were pretty good, but actually, it was just sh*t.”

With Novak Djokovic chasing history against Carlos Alcaraz in a packed Rod Laver Arena, McEnroe, who was on commentary duty, couldn’t stop praising him, openly marveling at just how good Djokovic still is, even comparing the Serb’s level to his own playing days.

And you have to put things into perspective to really appreciate what Novak Djokovic is doing right now. John McEnroe, for example, effectively stepped away from full-time professional tennis at the end of 1992, when he was just 33, right after a semifinal run at Wimbledon – a normal career timeline back then.

Fast forward to today, and here’s Djokovic at 38, still grinding and still chasing titles. Though Carlos Alcaraz was just too good on the night, winning 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5, Djokovic’s tenacity, longevity, and drive are nothing short of impressive.

That toughness showed in the quarterfinals. After losing 6-4, 6-3, 1-3, Lorenzo Musetti was asked in his post-match press conference if he noticed Djokovic’s injury on court.

The Italian kept it honest. “I saw that he got the medical time-out, but I was not really worried about him.” During the match, Djokovic had taken a medical timeout late in the second set, where doctors treated multiple foot issues, covering a popped blister just below his big toe and tightly rewrapping it before he returned to play.

It was once again on display in his grueling five-set win over Jannik Sinner in the semifinal, where he used up every last ounce of energy to outfox the Italian, firing pinpoint serves and devastating forehands all over the court.

But still, with his Australian Open loss, the question has once again turned to retirement, and Djokovic may have given his most definitive hint yet.

Novak Djokovic reflects on retirement goals amid Australian Open title run

Retirement is one of those questions that seems to follow every sports icon around, and Novak Djokovic is no exception. Over the years, he’s gotten used to it, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to start setting deadlines or talking about the end.

Recently, though, the chatter picked up again. In an interview with Tennis 365, 17-time Grand Slam doubles champion Mark Woodforde shared an interesting take, saying that if Djokovic didn’t post a strong result at the Australian Open, he wouldn’t be surprised if the Serbian star decided to call it a day.

Naturally, that only fueled more speculation. So what is Novak Djokovic’s response to all the speculation?

“But I must be very honest and say that I didn’t, you know, think that I would be standing in a closing ceremony of a Grand Slam once again. So I think I owe you the gratitude as well for pushing me forward. God knows what happens tomorrow, let alone in six months or 12 months. So it has been a great ride. I love you guys,” said Djokovic in his runner-up speech.

While Djokovic has previously expressed his desire to keep going till the 2028 Olympics, his recent words paint a different picture. Still, the 38-year-old seems to be playing it by ear, not yet committing to calling time on his legendary career for good.