LONDON (AP) — It's become part of Novak Djokovic's routine now, particularly at Grand Slam tournaments: He shows up and gets asked — at the start of the event, during the event, after the event or sometimes all three — whether this will be his final appearance there.
Happened again Saturday at Wimbledon, and his response was the same it tends to be, which essentially amounts to: Who can tell?
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Novak Djokovic during a practice session at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon ahead of the Wimbledon Championships, Friday June 27, 2025. (John Walton/PA via AP)
FILE - Carlos Alcaraz of Spain holds his trophy as he stands with Novak Djokovic of Serbia after winning the men's singles final at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali,File)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia speaks to a coach during a practice session at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, ahead of the Wimbledon Championships in London, Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia, left, attends a practice session ahead of the Wimbledon tennis Championships in London, Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
“Whether it could be my ‘last dance,’” the 24-time major champion began, repeating the phrase used by the reporter who posed the question, “I’m not sure — as I’m not sure about Roland Garros or any other Slam that I play next.”
And then Djokovic continued, offering something of a mix of seemingly trying to quiet any talk about whether he truly is pondering retirement at age 38 while also being realistic about where things stand.
“My wish is to play for several more years. I would love to be healthy physically and also mentally motivated to keep on playing at the highest level,” he said. “That’s the goal. But you never know at this stage.”
What Djokovic did concede is that the All England Club might offer the likeliest spot for him to gather one more Grand Slam singles title, which would allow him to raise his career haul to 25 — a number that no tennis player ever has reached.
“I would probably agree that Wimbledon could be the best chance, because of the results I had, because of how I feel, how I play in Wimbledon,” said Djokovic, who faces Alexandre Muller in the first round Tuesday. “Just getting that extra push mentally and motivation to perform the best tennis at the highest level.”
Djokovic has won seven championships at the grass-court major and come oh-so-close to making his total eight — the number Roger Federer won, and one behind Martina Navratilova's record nine women's trophies — but lost in the 2023 and 2024 finals to Carlos Alcaraz.
All told, Djokovic has appeared in the title match each of the past six times the tournament was held (it was canceled in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic), winning it in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022. His most recent Wimbledon loss came all the way back in 2017, when he was defeated in the quarterfinals by 2010 runner-up Tomas Berdych.
As for the persistent questions about Djokovic's future, it's the same type of topic that was presented to Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams as those greats of the game neared their farewells.
Now it's just Djokovic's turn.
But just because he hasn't won a Grand Slam trophy in more than 1 1/2 years — he collected three in 2023, capped by the U.S. Open that September — don't think that Djokovic isn't capable of grabbing another.
As he reminded anyone listening Saturday, he made it to the semifinals at the Australian Open this January before stopping after one set because of a hamstring injury, and got to the final four at the French Open this month before losing to No. 1 Jannik Sinner. After that one, Djokovic took time as he left the court to kiss his hand and lean down to touch the clay, then said it could have been his last match at Roland-Garros.
There also was the not-so-small achievement of claiming a gold medal for Serbia at the Paris Olympics less than a year ago by beating Alcaraz, no less.
“These tournaments give me the biggest drive, still,” Djokovic said. “I like the way I feel right now, physically. Tennis-wise, I’ve been playing good on the practice sessions. Obviously completely different when you start a tournament. I’ll try to have a very good tournament and go as far as I can.”
And maybe even return in 2026.
Novak Djokovic during a practice session at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon ahead of the Wimbledon Championships, Friday June 27, 2025. (John Walton/PA via AP)
FILE - Carlos Alcaraz of Spain holds his trophy as he stands with Novak Djokovic of Serbia after winning the men's singles final at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali,File)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia speaks to a coach during a practice session at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, ahead of the Wimbledon Championships in London, Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia, left, attends a practice session ahead of the Wimbledon tennis Championships in London, Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
PARIS (AP) — After letting another big lead slip with an error-strewn performance at the French Open, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka felt like getting as far away from the courts as possible.
“Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said after wasting a lead of a set and two breaks in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to Diana Shnaider in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.”
Sabalenka's wait for a first French Open title continues despite the four-time major winner leading 4-1 in the second set and being two points from victory while serving for the match at 5-4. What followed was a complete collapse as she lost 12 of the last 13 games against a player appearing in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, looking increasingly frustrated and forlorn in the windy conditions.
Just like her loss to Coco Gauff in last year's final, when she also won the first set before becoming undone with a slew of unforced errors, this one will take some time to get over.
“You know those rooms where you just go in and you smash everything,” Sabalenka said. “Probably I will spend a whole day tomorrow over there destroying stuff. Maybe it will help, maybe not.”
Shnaider next faces Maja Chwalinska, who extended her remarkable Roland Garros run by beating No. 22-seeded Anna Kalinskaya 7-6 (3), 6-3.
In the men’s quarterfinals, 10th-seeded Flavio Cobolli beat No. 4 Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to ensure there will be an Italian finalist. Cobolli will face one of two fellow Italians, Matteo Berrettini or Matteo Arnaldi — who were playing later — in the semifinals.
The strong Italian showing comes despite top-ranked Jannik Sinner getting stunned in the second round.
Second-seeded Alexander Zverev and No. 26 Jakub Mensik will meet in the other semifinal.
Sabalenka stood still and screamed loudly after losing a point to fall 0-30 down in the sixth game of the decider and, although she saved two match points at 0-40 down, she lost when she sent a shot into the net.
“I just think it’s combination of everything,” Sabalenka lamented. “You overthink, then you make easy mistakes, then you miss opportunities.”
Her struggles were reminiscent of the match against Gauff, when she remonstrated loudly, shouting to herself and glaring at her team box.
“I just have to sit back and openly think about what’s going on in my head in those tough moments,” Sabalenka said, recalling that match. “Because I’m quite an experienced player. I have been through so many things, and I overcome so many things.”
Sabalenka had already looked agitated when serving for the first set but still looked in control as she served for the match in the second, holding a 30-15 lead.
“Of course I saw some moments of her frustration,” Shnaider said. “I know Aryna, that she’s a very emotional person."
Shnaider, who was already on her best run at a major, broke Sabelenka before taking complete control.
“Well, honestly I am speechless. Super happy,” Shnaider said. “I feel like I was trying to focus point by point. Not thinking about the score. She is the world No. 1, so I just trying to do my best. I just had to fight for every point.”
Sabalenka looked increasingly frustrated as the third set wore on, and when she missed a volley at the net in the fourth game of the decider she crouched and rested her head on her racket.
It was another big upset in a tournament where defending champion Gauff (third round) and four-time winner Iga Swiatek (fourth round) already tumbled out.
Defending men’s champion Jannik Sinner served for the match in a second round defeat, and 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic wasted a two-set lead in a third round loss.
That opened things up for lesser-known players. According to Opta, this is the first major without a former champion in either the men’s and women’s semifinals since the French Open in 1977.
The unseeded Chwalinska came through three qualifying rounds to become only the second Polish woman to reach the semifinals at Roland Garros, along with Swiatek.
Chwalinska said British player Emma Raducanu’s run to the 2021 U.S. Open title as an 18-year-old qualifier had inspired her.
“It was such an impressive run, you know,” Chwalinska recalled. “Also, she was so young.”
When Kalinskaya’s big forehand from the back of the court went out, the 24-year-old Chwalinska had her biggest win, having never been beyond the second round at any major before this tournament.
Chwalinska’s total prize money heading into Roland Garros was $864,030 and reaching the last four here earns her 750,000 euros (about $872,000).
The roof was open on Court Philippe-Chatrier and there was a lot of wind.
“I don’t know why would they keep the roof open when it was crazy windy,” Sabalenka said. “It was very dirty tennis. I don’t know how people could actually just sit there and watch me play.”
Kalinskaya also struggled.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Italy's Flavio Cobolli reacts after winning the quarterfinal tennis match against Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime at the French Open in Paris, Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus hugs Russia's Diana Shnaider after the quarterfinal tennis match at the French Open in Paris, Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)
Russia's Diana Shnaider reacts after winning the quarterfinal tennis match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the French Open in Paris, Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts after losing the quarterfinal tennis match against Russia's Diana Shnaider at the French Open in Paris, Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)
Russia's Anna Kalinskaya walks off the court after the quarterfinal tennis match against Poland's Maja Chwalinska at the French Open in Paris, Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Poland's Maja Chwalinska reacts after winning the quarterfinal tennis match against Russia's Anna Kalinskaya at the French Open in Paris, Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Poland's Maja Chwalinska reacts after winning the quarterfinal tennis match against Russia's Anna Kalinskaya at the French Open in Paris, Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)
