Novak Djokovic had to withdraw from his “Six Kings Slam” show match against Taylor Fritz in Riyadh due to injury. The Serb, who had to pass after the first set in the Australian Open semi-final against Alexander Zverev at the beginning of the year, once again showed the limits of his body.
Spectators in the packed arena reacted with shock when Djokovic gave up after losing the first set tiebreak. Visibly disappointed, he turned to the fans:
“I want to apologize to everyone, sorry guys you couldn’t see the second set,” he said. “But compliments to Taylor – we had some incredible rallies at the end of that set. It was one of the longest sets I’ve ever played, to be honest. It’s fantastic to be back in Riyadh.”
Djokovic also thanked everyone for their support: “I would like to thank everyone who gave me such a warm welcome here. It’s the third time in three years that I’m here and hopefully I’ll come back next year – if you want me here.”
Uncertain season planning
So far, Djokovic has only confirmed one tournament for the rest of the year – the ATP 250 tournament in Athens at the beginning of November. The 37-year-old could then compete at the ATP Finals in Turin. His last words in Riyadh indicated that he wants to concentrate on this.
“Now it’s time to rest and address some physical issues,” he explained. “Then hopefully play the last few tournaments of the season – we’ll see.”
His will to continue is unbroken. But the physical strain seems to be increasingly becoming a hurdle. Former British top player Tim Henman emphasized that despite everything, Djokovic should not feel any pressure to end his career.
“He has reached four Grand Slam semi-finals this year, which is an extraordinary achievement,” Henman said. “But when you play five matches to get there and then come up against young players who are in top form, it’s hard to find solutions. These great players should carry on as long as they want. If they enjoy it, they should play – it’s the best job in the world. Retirement takes a long time.”
In the coming weeks, Djokovic will have to decide whether he is physically ready to compete in Athens and Turin – before he sets his sights on the Australian Open in January 2026.
