"Similar to Roger Federer in retirement speech saying 'should've stopped earlier'"- Fans react to Novak Djokovic's remarks after Australian Open exit

Tennis fans on the internet were reminded of Roger Federer's retirement speech by Novak Djokovic's emotional take on staying away from family for weeks in order to play tournaments around the globe.

Djokovic bowed out of the Australian Open 2024 after losing to Italy's Jannik Sinner in the semifinal. This was his first-ever defeat in the semifinal of the Happy Slam after ten championship-winning performances.

After the disappointing result in Melbourne, the media asked the Serb to touch upon the aspect of staying away from his family to compete around the world.

"It’s not easy, to be honest. I’m really getting more and more difficult about it as time goes on. Australia is a long road, maybe the longest we’ve had in years. Being away from them for five weeks is really a lot," he said (translated from Serbian).

He further expressed regret at not being able to be with his daughter Tara when she lost her first baby tooth.

"My son [Stefan] is now nine years old, and my daughter is six years old. They change every week, there’s a lot going on. My daughter lost her first baby tooth and I wasn’t there to see it. But everything is in the balance," he said.

A tennis fan on Reddit said that he could relate to the Serb's situation as a father.

"As a dad I can completely relate. some things you just don’t get back. if you’re not there for it, it’s gone forever."

Another fan concluded that 2024 might be Djokovic's last year as a professional.

"Being 5 weeks away from your kids and wife is really a lot ngl, and he probably feels bad cuz he already have records and still going after more.. yeah this might be last "serious" tennis year he plays," the fan said.

A third fan revisited Roger Federer's retirement speech from September 2022.

"This hits hard bro. Similar feels to Roger on his retirement speech saying 'I should have stopped earlier' when talking about his family."

Reactions from Reddit

Here are a few more reactions from Reddit:

Reactions from Reddit

---

A look into Novak Djokovic's ten title-winning performances at Australian Open

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic opened his Grand Slam tally in the year 2008 by winning the Australian Open. He defeated France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final. Since then, he has triumphed in Melbourne nine more times.

He won the Happy Slam for the second time in 2011 by defeating Andy Murray in the summit clash. He repeated the feat the next year with a win over Rafael Nadal in the final. He completed a hattrick of wins at the Melbourne Major by overcoming Murray in the 2013 final.

The Serb defeated Murray two more times in 2015 and 2016 in the decider to earn his fifth and sixth titles Down Under. He scored another hattrick by winning the Melbourne Major consecutively in 2019, 2020, and 2021, by downing Nadal, Dominic Thiem, and Daniil Medvedev, respectively.

Djokovic secured his tenth Australian Open trophy in 2023 when he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.