Tennis icon Novak Djokovic isn’t budging, not even for the young guns. He is not ready to accept Father Time. The people who want him to step down might not be happy about this. His inspiration is the NFL quarterback GOAT, Tom Brady.
Inspired by Tom Brady and Other Sports Legends, Novak Djokovic Vows to Keep Competing
Inspired by Tom Brady and Other Sports Legends, Novak Djokovic Vows to Keep Competing (Image credit: X/@tuckerfan69420)
At 38, the Serbian legend made it crystal clear that retirement isn’t on his radar. He’s drawing motivation from sports icons who defied age, like Tom Brady, LeBron James, and Cristiano Ronaldo. But the problem is that these legends play in a team where they could hide behind support systems.
Inspired by Tom Brady and Other Sports Legends, Novak Djokovic Vows to Keep Competing
Djokovic hasn’t won a Grand Slam since 2023, which is a major concern. But the good thing is he made the semifinals at all four majors in 2025. Still ranked No. 5 worldwide, he’s performing in high-profile exhibitions like the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia. Since the prize money is strong enough, some critics think he’s nowhere near done.
Speaking at the Joy Forum in Riyadh, Djokovic dropped a truth bomb about his longevity. He said, “One of my biggest motivations is I want to really see how far I can go. If you look across all global sports, LeBron James is still going strong. He is 40. Cristiano Ronaldo. Tom Brady played till he was 40-something years old. It’s unbelievable, they’re inspiring me as well.”
When anchor Max Kellerman pressed him about the young guns forcing him into retirement, Djokovic dropped the atom bomb. He said, “It’s not happening, sorry.”
🚨Novak Djokovic has no plans to retire:
“Longevity is one of my biggest motivations. I want to see how far I can go.”
Kellerman: “The young guys will have to beat you into retirement. You’re not going to go away.”
Novak: “It’s not happening, sorry.😂”pic.twitter.com/JdscOqsHqu
— Danny (@DjokovicFan_) October 16, 2025
The comparison to Brady makes sense on paper. Both dominated their sports for decades. Both prioritized recovery and nutrition. Brady still holds his place in the rankings. Though he retired after a long career, he is still heavily involved with football as a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.
But tennis is brutally different. There are no huddle breaks during a match. No substitutions. Just you versus your opponent for three or five sets of pure hell. And that’s enough to make people raise eyebrows.
Fans Split on Djokovic’s Bold Longevity Play
So, not surprisingly, the internet erupted with mixed reactions. A handful of fans didn’t shy away from backing the GOAT with unwavering support.
One wrote, “We are happy to watch Tennis GOAT play as long as he wants.”
Another defended him against critics, penning, “Djokovic is the only player in any sport ever that can be the third best player in the world and people will say he need to retire.”
A third fan highlighted a unique milestone, saying, “Among all the crazy records he holds, I really want him to get a unique one of 100 wins at all 4 slams.”
But plenty of skeptics think his window’s closed. Djokovic lost to Jannik Sinner three times this year and Carlos Alcaraz once, failing to reach a single Grand Slam final as the young guns started smelling blood.
One harsh fan claimed, “Unfortunately you’re fading away. 2023 was your last year of absolute dominance. Now the mantle has been passed to Alcaraz and Sinner. Brutal reality 😔”
Another troll suggested, “He should start playing in the woman’s competition. Maybe he can win a match there.”
A third added, “Keep playing so that you keep getting thrashed to world no. 200’s, 300’s and so on.. 🤡😅😂🤣😭”
The fourth questioned his motives, noting, “Bro needs the money. Tom Brady etc were part of team sports. Can’t hide father time in tennis. He’s just hoping to get lucky and not face Carlos or Jannik.”
Despite the criticism, Djokovic won his 100th career title in Geneva this year. The milestone it represented placed him among only three players in the Open Era who have reached it. Not sure but that might be giving him the confidence to keep playing more.