After losing against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the French Open semifinals, Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic stated that the match might have been his final one there and that he is unsure if he will return a year later to compete for another title.
Djokovic's best play cooled off as Sinner's excellent shot-making helped him secure a title match against rival Carlos Alcaraz.
Sinner overcame the 100-time tour-level titlist and three-time French Open champion 6-4, 7-5, 7-6(3). Following his defeat, Djokovic gathered his belongings and bid farewell to a rejoicing audience before departing the court.
The match showcased Sinner's power and accuracy, his excellent serve, and points scored over the tennis court. This helped the 23-year-old set up the first-ever major final between players born in the 2000s, overwhelming 24-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic in the process.
In their thrilling semi-final match on Friday, Lorenzo Musetti of Italy retired in the fourth set, leaving Alcaraz one win away from defending his title in Paris. The 22-year-old Spaniard was ahead 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-0, 2-0 when Musetti quit after two hours and twenty-five minutes.
Djokovic stated on the post-match press conference, as cited by the ATP website, "This could have been the last match ever I played here, so I do not know. That is why I was a bit more emotional even in the end."
"If this was the farewell match of the Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd."
"Do I wish to play more? Yes, I do. But will I be able to play in 12 months' time here again? I don't know. That is all I can say for the moment," he said.
The 24-time major champion Djokovic added that "he did give him (Sinner) a run for his money" in reference to his encounter, which featured some brilliant moments.
"I tried to make him work till the last shot. I did what I could. This is sport. You have to just shake the hand of the better player and move on. I must say that I was proud of my effort tonight [and] in this tournament, considering I was not in great form coming into Roland Garros, but he was just too good for me tonight," he added.
Djokovic, who is behind Sinner 4-5 in their head-to-head record, told his opponent that he has been playing "Tennis of his life" and thanked him for it.
"Jannik is the kind of player who loves to play at a very fast pace the entire match. He is very physical. He is very fit, and he is striking the ball incredibly well. He seems to always be on good timing. Rarely he is off-balance, and he is just playing the tennis of his life," he said.
Djokovic stated that the sport needs the rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner, who are vying for the same crown. The championship match is scheduled on Sunday.
"The way they are playing and the way they are approaching tennis life, I think they are going to have very successful careers. I am sure that we are going to see them lifting the big trophies quite often," he concluded.
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