"Leave me alone"- Novak Djokovic loses patience with relentless retirement speculations as he strongly makes his intentions clear 

Novak Djokovic finally cleared the air regarding speculations about his retirement ahead of the ATP Finals. The tournament will commence on November 9 and will conclude on November 16 at the Inalpi Arena.

The Serb is one of the oldest players currently playing in the tennis community. He has delivered staunch performances this year, having earned his 100th ATP title with his win at the Geneva Open. He has also reached the semifinals of most majors this year, but has fallen short of reaching the finals against top-ranked players.

Amid his participation in all tournaments, speculation about his retirement has been circulating throughout the year. However, Djokovic recently revealed his retirement plans after losing patience with relentless rumors.

"Many thought that after the Olympic Games, after winning gold, I would end my career. But I don't play tennis just for achievements. Of course, they're a big part of my motivation, but I also play tennis because I really enjoy competing. I enjoy the process and everything that tennis brings to me: to me personally, to my family, but also what I bring to tennis as long as I remain an active professional," said Novak Djokovic.

He added (via Universetennis):

"Yes, I’ve thought about it more than once, that’s for sure. But I refuse to talk about it. I simply want to enjoy moments like today on the court. Like Stan Wawrinka, I say: ‘Leave me alone. Let me play and have fun.’ There is no countdown. Of course, the idea has crossed my mind, but I play at my own pace, when I want to, not when others think I should stop," he said.

Djokovic is currently competing at the Hellenic Championships and will next lock horns with Nuno Borges on November 6.

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Novak Djokovic reveals his plans for the remainder of the season after mid-match retirement from the Six Kings Slam

Novak Djokovic lost to Taylor Fritz in the first set and then retired mid-match from the third-place playoff at the Six Kings Slam. Shortly after this, he apologised to his fans for withdrawing from the tournament, revealing that he would be playing the last tournaments of the season after resting well.

In his post-match press conference, he said:

"Not great. I want to apologize to everybody. Sorry guys. Sorry you couldn’t see the second set... Well now it’s rest and really addressing some of the issues I have with my body. And then hopefully playing the last couple of tournaments of the season, let’s see," said Novak Djokovic.

Novak Djokovic won his last Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open. Following this, he won a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, achieving the Career Golden Slam.

Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar