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Novak Djokovic revealed he does not know if he will return to play at the French Open in 2027 after the 24-time Grand Slam champion knocked out 19-year-old Joao Fonseca in the third round on Friday.
Djokovic lost 4-6 4-6 6-3 7-5 7-5 to the world number 30, marking the 39-year-old’s worst finish at a Grand Slam since the 2024 US Open.
Asked by a reporter if he would return to next year’s tournament, the three-time French Open champion replied, “I don’t know.”
Asked if he would be happy to end his career at the French Open after today’s loss, he replied: “I don’t know.”
“It’s hard to think about right now, if you all understand me,” he added when asked about his legacy at Roland Garros.
“But at the same time, there were times where I felt like I was barely on my feet at the end of the match, and to look out at the crowd and see them cheering me on and cheering me on was magical, honestly.
Djokovic was two sets up in his third-round match
“So when I take away all the frustration and negative thoughts about the match, you know, there’s a lot to be proud of, what I’ve been through, what I’ve experienced, you know. I’m very grateful for that kind of experience, yeah.”
Djokovic has previously insisted he has no intention of retiring while he is still motivated to continue competing, telling reporters in Indian Wells: “Why stop as long as I have the fire, the flair, the quality and the motivation?”
However, the world No. 4 has previously hinted that he could look to hang up his racket after the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
His last Grand Slam title came at the US Open in 2023, with Djokovic, who has the third-most career wins in ATP Tour history at 101, narrowly missing out on claiming his elusive 25th Slam title at Wimbledon in 2024 and Carlos Alcaraz at this year’s Australian Open.
On Friday, Djokovic was also asked if his “mind was starting to think about the rest of the tournament” after world No. 1 Janic Cena was knocked out by Juan Manuel Cerundlo and Alcaraz withdrew ahead of the Grand Slam due to injury.
The Serbian brushed off the question immediately, saying: “I don’t care. I don’t care. I’ll stop you there. No. Just lost in the third round. Let’s talk about something else. Thanks.”
Novak Djokovic crashed out of the French Open a day after Janic Cena’s upset.
Djokovic defeated Giovanni Mpetschi Pericard in the first round to reach the third round, before defeating Valentin Royer in four sets.
“The number of hours I’ve played in the three matches here, it feels like I’ve played every tournament in the last three months, to be honest,” he said.
“I think I was playing good tennis, a really good level. Considering I was injured for three months and then trying to come back, you know, going straight to a Grand Slam on this surface is very demanding and for me, it takes more time to get used to, to find my groove.
“You know, considering everything and considering all the circumstances, I think the level was really good. I mean, I was happy with my level.”
Djokovic praised Fonseka after his huge win
The Serbian was seen sharing a moment with Fonseca after their match.
Fonseca rose to stardom last year, beating some big opponents including Alex de Minaur and continues to perform well in 2026, besting world number 10 Matteo Berrettini and now Djokovic at the Monte Carlo Masters.
Joao Fonseca defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets
“I congratulated him and told him that he deserved to win and played an incredible match, and that he should be proud of himself and wish him the best of luck for the rest of the tournament,” Djokovic said, reflecting on the moment.
“The kind of tennis we’ve seen her play has created a lot of hype around her, and I think we all saw today why there’s hype around her. So, yeah, just the level was amazing.”
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