Jimmy Connors says why he still roots for Novak Djokovic: "Don't tell him when to quit"

Former American World No. 1 Jimmy Connors recently shared why he continues to support Novak Djokovic. The Serb put on an impressive performance at the 2025 Australian Open.

In the January 28 episode of Advantage Connors, Jimmy Connors shared his perspective on Novak Djokovic's 2025 Australian Open journey. The American tennis pro mentioned that, despite Djokovic getting older, he still cheers for the Serbian.

“And I look at him and I root for him, you know, I rooted for him because I liked his game. I like the way he played...And I rooted for him then and I'm rooting for him now,” Connors said.

Connors said he would back someone who is ready to give it their all, even if they're aging. The American said:

“I'm all for a guy who's willing to go out there and do whatever it takes still, to still put it on the line and go for it.

In the podcast, Connors advised against telling Novak Djokovic when to retire, recalling how he faced similar questions before his own retirement in 1996 at the age of 43. He shared:

“You know, don't tell him when to quit. He'll know when to quit, you know, and when to move on. The others have, Federer did, Nadell has now, and Murray.”

The American pointed out that it would be a difficult decision for the Serb to walk away from something he had dedicated 20 years of his life to.

“But I will say one thing before we move on, Brett, that's a tough decision, boy. You know, because, you know, for 20 years or whatever amount of years he's done it, you know, all of a sudden to wake up one morning and say, what, it's over? I don't have to do, I'm not going to do that anymore. That's a tough, tough day to wake up,” said Jimmy Connors.

Novak Djokovic's 2025 Australian Open Campaign

Novak Djokovic at 2025 Australian Open - Day 13 - Source: Getty

Novak Djokovic had an impressive run in the 2025 Australian Open. The tournament was scheduled from January 12 to January 26.

The 37-year-old progressed to the tournament's semifinals, starting his campaign against Indian-American Nishesh Basavareddy. Along the way, he defeated Jaime Faria, Tomas Machac, and Jiri Lehecka before facing Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.

He battled through a tough four-set match in the quarterfinals to secure a win. However, in the semifinals against Alexander Zverev, he was forced to withdraw after the first set due to an injury.