Novak Djokovic Vows to Return to Wimbledon Despite Physical Toll: “At Least One More Time”

By \[Ahmed Alshry], \[Publication Name] – SME News UK. July 12, 2025LONDON — Novak Djokovic may have fallen short in his quest for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title, but the tennis legend is not ready to bid farewell to Wimbledon just yet.Following his straight-sets semi-final defeat to Jannik Sinner — 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 — the 38-year-old Serbian made it clear he still intends to grace the hallowed grass of Centre Court again.“I’m not planning to finish my Wimbledon career today,” Djokovic said in his post-match press conference. “So I’m planning to come back, definitely at least one more time, to play on Centre Court.”Despite acknowledging the mounting physical toll of an illustrious career, Djokovic reaffirmed his commitment to the sport’s biggest stages. “I’ve put everything I possibly can when it comes to training and preparing myself so I can play my best at Grand Slams,” he said. “Those are the tournaments that I care about at this stage of my career the most.”The match against Sinner, one of the ATP Tour’s rising stars, exposed the growing challenge Djokovic faces. Carrying an injury from a slip during his quarter-final against Flavio Cobolli, Djokovic required a medical timeout and skipped pre-match training — signs of the toll five-set battles are taking on his body.“I don’t think it’s bad fortune,” Djokovic reflected. “It’s just age — the wear and tear of the body. As much as I’m taking care of it, reality is hitting me right now.”Although he remains one of the most dedicated athletes on tour — “I’d like to challenge anyone to see if they take care of themselves more than I do,” he quipped — Djokovic admitted that the physical demands of Grand Slam tennis are increasingly difficult to meet.“Best-of-five matches, particularly this year, have been a real struggle for me physically,” he said. “I’ve reached the final stages of every Slam this year, but I feel like I’m going into those matches with a tank half empty.”Djokovic, however, remains philosophical and resilient. “It is what it is. I accept it and try to deal with reality the way it is — and make the most of it,” he said.With his legacy firmly etched in tennis history, Djokovic isn’t ready to close the book just yet — and Wimbledon fans can expect at least one more chapter from the all-time great.