PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic is unsure he will play at the French Open ever again after losing to top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the semifinals on Friday.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion cast doubt on whether he will be back at Roland-Garros next year, when he will be 39. Moments after losing 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (3), Djokovic took the time to put his bag down and applaud all sides of Court Philippe-Chatrier.
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Serbia's Novak Djokovic leaves the center court Philippe Chatrier after the semifinal match of the French Tennis Open against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic gestures as he leaves the semifinal match of the French Tennis Open against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic leaves the center court Philippe Chatrier after the semifinal match of the French Tennis Open against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic touches the groung as he leaves the semifinal match of the French Tennis Open against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
“I mean, this could have been the last match ever I played here, so I don’t know. That’s why I was a bit more emotional even in the end,” Djokovic said.
“But 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.”
He kissed his hand after the defeat, then put it on the clay, as if saying farewell to the French Open, where he was champion three times. He pulled his bags up, looked high up into the stands, and headed down to the tunnel.
“Do I wish to play more, yes I do. But will I be able to play here in 12 months' time, I don’t know,” Djokovic said. “I said it could have been my last match (here), I didn't say it was.”
Djokovic said he definitely intends to play at Wimbledon, which begins on June 30, and the U.S. Open in August, but is not sure about his plans after that.
“I don’t know really what tomorrow brings in a way at this point in my career. You know, I am going to keep on keeping on,” he said. “Wimbledon is next, which is my childhood favorite tournament. I’m going to do everything possible to get myself ready.”
He won an historic 100th singles title just before the French Open, but mainly continues to play to add to his record haul of Grand Slams. He is driven to win a 25th Grand Slam, to have sole custody of the most major titles in men's and women's tennis.
But his last Grand Slam title was at the 2023 U.S. Open. He failed to win a Grand Slam last year for the first time in seven years.
“I guess my best chances maybe are Wimbledon, you know, to win another slam or faster hard court,” he said.
He won the French Open in 2016, ‘21 and ’23. His last Wimbledon title was in 2022.
“Wimbledon and U.S. Open, yes, they are in plans. That's all I can say right now,” he said. “But I feel like I want to play Wimbledon, I want to play U.S. Open. Those two, for sure. For the rest, I’m not so sure.”
Sinner hopes Djokovic sticks around a while longer.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Serbia's Novak Djokovic leaves the center court Philippe Chatrier after the semifinal match of the French Tennis Open against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic gestures as he leaves the semifinal match of the French Tennis Open against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic leaves the center court Philippe Chatrier after the semifinal match of the French Tennis Open against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic touches the groung as he leaves the semifinal match of the French Tennis Open against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
SION, Switzerland (AP) — The hospital that initially took in the majority of injured victims from a fire at a Swiss bar is no stranger to emergencies: In the heart of the Alps, it is used to treating winter sports enthusiasts who have accidents on the slopes.
But the flood of young and severely burned survivors from the blaze that tore through Le Constellation in Crans-Montana during New Year's Eve revelry was something else.
Eric Bonvin, general director of the regional hospital in Sion that took in several dozen injured people, said those with severe burns face months of treatment but expressed hope that their youth will speed their recovery.
The injured were teenagers and young adults, roughly 20 years old on average, he told The Associated Press inside the hospital, which is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the resort by air. Survivors have described seeing their fellow revelers struggling to escape the inferno, some with severe burns.
Bonvin recounted how hospital staff scrambled to determine the extent of people’s injuries — aided by colleagues who had not been scheduled to work but rushed in to lend a hand.
“It’s a very particular situation because at the beginning burns are not necessarily apparent, the nerve endings are burnt so feelings are lost and the person is most of all in a state of shock,” he said. “At those moments, every minute counts.”
Injured survivors suffered burns to varying degrees, not just to their skin but also to their airways.
“There were inhalations of both smoke and also of heat that for some probably led to internal burns. That’s a really catastrophic situation, as you can imagine,” Bonvin said.
The hospital was well staffed, despite the holiday, because the end of year festivities are so busy in the Alpine Valais region, attracting crowds to its mountains but also leading to ski accidents and other medical emergencies.
“Our population doubles in a week,” he said. “Every year it's a period of intense stress for our emergency unit."
But “many people (staffers) came spontaneously, even those who were on holiday or having a night out,” he said. “That worked well.”
Still the hospital, which doesn’t have a specialized burn unit, quickly hit full capacity, authorities said. As the injured streamed in Thursday, all of the hospital’s surgical operating rooms were opened and intensive care facilities became strained.
Bonvin said 55 gravely injured people were rushed to his hospital by medical transports. Others with injuries came of their own accord, some brought in by loved ones.
By Friday afternoon, most had been transferred to other hospitals, while others had been discharged, Bonvin said.
Some medical workers treated the injured without knowing whether their loved ones might be among them.
“It was hard to live through for everyone. Also probably because everyone was asking themselves, ‘Was my child, my cousin, someone from the region at this party?’ This place was very well known as somewhere to celebrate the new year,” Bonvin said. “Also, seeing young people arrive — that’s always traumatic.”
The road to recovery for the gravely injured will likely be long and arduous, he cautioned.
“For those with serious burns, intensive care treatment lasts several months,” he said.
“But it’s not without hope,” he added. “They are young and that means they still have a lot of vitality.”
CORRECTS CITY TO SION - Eric Bonvin, director of the Hospital du Valais, attends a press conference in Sion, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP)
People bring flowers near the sealed off Le Constellation bar, where a devastating fire left dead and injured during the New Year's celebrations in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/ Antonio Calanni)
People mourn behind flowers and letters near the sealed off Le Constellation bar, where a devastating fire left dead and injured during the New Year's celebrations in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/ Antonio Calanni)
People lay candles and flowers near the Le Constellation bar, where a devastating fire left dead and injured during the New Year's celebrations in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/ Antonio Calanni)
People bring flowers and candles near the sealed off Le Constellation bar, where a devastating fire left dead and injured during the New Year's celebrations in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/ Antonio Calanni)
A helicopter takes off from the Hotel du Valais hospital in Sion, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, following the fire at the "Le Constellation" bar and lounge in Crans-Montana, during the New Year celebration. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner)
Two men walk outside a hospital as a helicopter takes off in Sion, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, following the fire at the "Le Constellation" bar and lounge in Crans-Montana, Switzerland during the New Year celebration. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner)
