Novak Djokovic ‘sad’ about retirement of great rivals Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray but remains motivated for future

Novak Djokovic has shared disappointment after his great rivals like Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray have retired from the game. While Federer called it a day after the 2022 Laver Cup, Nadal and Murray played for the one final time in 2024.

However, the Serb believes he has still some fuel left in his old tank and wants to keep going at the top level. Djokovic could not win any Major title in 2024 and he went without a Slam in a year after seven years. The Serbian, though, won the Gold medal at the Paris Olympics to add the missing title to his impressive cabinet.

Djokovic shared a great rivalry with Stan Wawrinka, Juan Martin del Potro, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray in the last 15 years.

“I am still playing and I believe I am part of a golden era. Federer, Nadal, Murray, Delpo, Wawrinka… it is a very special era for our sport. Our personal careers have been influenced by all these rivalries of the last 15 years. For me, looking at this year, it is an incredible thing. I am a bit sad because my greatest rivals have left,” the Serb said via Punto de Break.

Meanwhile, Djokovic recently appointed Andy Murray as his new coach. The Serbian had earlier parted ways with his former coach Goran Ivanisevic in March and had been playing without a coach since then.

“A part of me, in terms of tennis, also leaves with them, but I continue to seek this motivation. Now I work with a new coach, one of my biggest rivals, who inspires me to see if we can achieve great things in our sport,” he continued.

Djokovic will look to kick off the 2025 season on a high by going all the way in the Australian Open.