Djokovic appeared at the F1 Qatar Grand Prix, expressing his determination to pursue his 25th Grand Slam title next year.

At last weekend's F1 Qatar Grand Prix, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic made a surprise appearance and presented awards to the top three drivers of the sprint race. During an on-site interview with Sky Sports, the Serbian star, now in the off-season, shared his outlook for the 2026 season. He revealed that he is currently working on rebuilding his physical condition to be ready for next year, still eager to compete with the world's best players.

“I’m taking a short break, and using a racing metaphor, I’m trying to rebuild my ‘racing machine.’ The past 18 months have been riddled with injuries, so now I’m focusing on restoring my physical fitness. I’m looking forward to a strong start next season and maintaining competitiveness against the top players,” Djokovic said.

The top players Djokovic referred to undoubtedly include Sinner and Alcaraz, who have claimed all four Grand Slam titles this year and hold the top two world rankings. Apart from withdrawing mid-match in the Australian Open semifinal against Zverev, Djokovic lost to Sinner in the French Open and Wimbledon semifinals, and to Alcaraz in the US Open semifinal. These two are his biggest obstacles in pursuit of his 25th Grand Slam title. Although Djokovic did not win any Grand Slam tournaments this season, he reached the semifinals in all four majors and secured his 100th and 101st tour titles in Geneva and Athens respectively. He is currently ranked fourth in the world.

Djokovic’s presence at the F1 Qatar Grand Prix

For Djokovic, adding another Grand Slam trophy is his primary goal at the moment. At the F1 Qatar Grand Prix track, he deliberately took a photo with the number “25” on the ground. This is not Djokovic’s first time attending an F1 event; he was also present at last year’s Qatar Grand Prix and has friendships with several drivers including Russell and Norris. The F1 season finale will take place this week in Abu Dhabi, where the World Drivers’ Championship will be decided. When asked which driver he hopes will win the title this year, Djokovic expressed his support for McLaren’s Norris, who currently leads the driver standings.

(Text and editing by Wang Fei, photos courtesy of Visual China)