Djokovic: Incredible to Defeat Sinner at Australian Open, No Reason to Retire

On the eve of the season's first ATP Masters tournament, Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic held a pre-match press conference. This marks his first appearance since losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the final of this year's Australian Open and finishing as runner-up. At the conference, he stated that the start of the 2026 season has been excellent, and his semifinal victory over Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open was an extraordinary performance. Djokovic enters the Indian Wells Masters as the No. 3 seed and could potentially face Alcaraz again in the semifinals.

Photo of Novak Djokovic

"For me, the start of this year has been great," Djokovic said. "Considering that since Wimbledon 2024, I haven't been able to reach a Grand Slam final, and I lost to either Sinner or Alcaraz in all majors last year, so defeating Sinner in a five-set battle felt truly incredible. It was also one of my best performances recently in Australia. Afterwards, I had another thrilling match against Carlos, where he ultimately performed better."

"For me, this is already a fantastic achievement. I proved to myself first, and to others as well, that I can still maintain a top level and defeat these players. So I believe, as long as I still have the passion, maintain my technique and condition, and possess the motivation, why not keep going?"

This is Djokovic's 17th appearance at the Indian Wells Masters. The five-time champion aims to break the tournament record he currently shares with Roger Federer. Djokovic holds a 51-11 record at this event and expressed his fondness for it: "I've had considerable success at this tournament; it has always been one of my favorites. The climate is pleasant, the facilities are excellent, its location near Los Angeles makes it one of the most desirable cities to visit, and combined with the tournament's history, it truly deserves its reputation as 'Tennis Paradise.'"

Additionally, Djokovic addressed the possibility of Serena Williams' comeback during the press conference: "It seems everyone is talking about her returning, but where and in what format, singles or doubles, I'm not sure. If I were her, I'd also keep it confidential. If she does come back, that would be amazing."

Djokovic enjoys a first-round bye and will face the winner between Polish players Maks Kasnikowski or Alexei Popyrin in the second round. Djokovic looks forward to the new challenge: "I truly enjoy the thrill of competition and still love competing in front of the fans. Currently, I'm still ranked world No. 3. Whether in terms of ranking, results, or performance, I think it's quite good. I still have that edge, and as long as I feel good, I'll keep moving forward."

(Compiled by Wang Fei, Photo/VCG)