Novak Djokovic is determined to make a comeback at Wimbledon next year and aims to secure his eighth title at the All England Club, despite his recent straight-sets loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the final. Djokovic's dream of achieving a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title was dashed by the 21-year-old Spanish sensation, who also beat the Serb in the previous year's championship match. Despite the advancing years, Djokovic plans to continue playing until 2025, when he will be 38.
"As far as returning here, I would love to. This is not my last Wimbledon," Djokovic stated following his 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) defeat. "I have no mental limitations. I still want to keep playing at this high level as long as I feel capable." This season, Djokovic has already seen his Australian Open title go to Jannik Sinner, the 22-year-old Italian who has also overtaken him as the world number one. Alcaraz replaced him as the French Open champion in Paris last month after Djokovic had to withdraw due to a knee injury that necessitated surgery.
Djokovic is set to return to Paris in less than two weeks to compete for an Olympic gold medal, followed by an attempt to defend his US Open title in New York. "I intend to play in the Olympic Games and hopefully have a chance to win a medal for my country," he said. "Returning to clay, to the place where I was injured a few weeks ago, we'll see how I feel physically and mentally."
Despite his optimistic outlook, Djokovic is having a below-average year by his high standards. He hasn't won a title since the ATP Finals in November and has yet to defeat a top-10 opponent in 2024. In the final, Alcaraz outperformed Djokovic, hitting 42 winners to 26 and creating 14 break points, five of which he converted.
"To beat players like Alcaraz and Sinner in Grand Slam later stages or the Olympics, I'll need to play much better than today and feel much better," Djokovic acknowledged. "I will work on it. I've faced many challenges in my career, and usually, I rise, learn, and get stronger. That's what I intend to do."