Before his title triumph at the Geneva Open, Novak Djokovic hadn’t won a single title on the Tour since the ATP Finals in 2023. Seeing his constant struggles, other than clinching the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, it seemed as if the tennis world was now nearing the end of a golden era. Earlier this month, talking about the invincible factor wearing down, the former doubles star, Todd Woodbridge, had even claimed, “These next five, six weeks, are critical for Novak [Djokovic]. If he can perform well in Paris, we’ll see him stick around, if he doesn’t, Wimbledon, most definitely he’s a contender and he’ll be there, but then I think the rest of the season, his future, we’re going to have to wait and see what he decides to do.” But Djokovic had previously addressed all these speculations surrounding his retirement, saying, that if he feels like he starts losing more, and there is a bigger gap or he has trouble getting over big hurdles at the Grand Slams, he’ll “probably call it a day.” Recently, WTA star Aryna Sabalenka was asked to share her thoughts on his longevity. What did she say in reply, though?
After securing his 100th career title in Geneva, Novak Djokovic is now keen to clinch his 25th Grand Slam title on the Parisian clay. He’s currently on a six-match winning streak, and after his 6-3,6-2,7-6(1) win against Corentin Moutet in the second round, Djokovic now holds a 12-0 record against French players at Roland Garros. Despite putting in such bold statements through his performances at the age of 38, Aryna Sabalenka was a bit surprised when she was asked to reflect on how long she thinks Djokovic can keep playing.
In reply to that question in her post-match press conference, she said, “You guys are trying to put as much pressure as you can on Novak. Leave him alone look at him. He’s fit. He’s strong. Mentally and physically I think he’s ready to play another 2 or 3 years. I don’t know. He’s doing really well. Of course, everyone has ups and downs. The older you get, the tougher it gets to stay consistent on the level. But we see whenever he’s ready, whenever he’s healthy and fit, he’s there. He’s playing great tennis. Just leave him alone. Let him just be.”
She further added, “Imagine if he retired tomorrow, everyone is gonna be sad. Don’t you think so? Of course, there’s another 10, 15 years for Jannik and Alcaraz to become one of the greatest. But just let him be. It was so sad to see the ceremony. Big Four were on the court. You understand that 3 of them retired. Everyone is missing their game. Just leave Novak to be there, to fight, and to show his greatness and to inspire the next generation.”
Aryna Sabalenka was asked how long she thinks Djokovic can keep playing, ‘Just leave him alone. Let him just be. Imagine if he retired tomorrow, everyone is gonna be sad… There’s another 10, 15 years for Jannik and Alcaraz to become one of the greatest’
“I wanted to ask what… pic.twitter.com/YeTa3m1FpC
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 30, 2025
Keeping the motivation intact after winning almost everything in his illustrious career seems to be the biggest challenge for Novak Djokovic. Even while sharing his thoughts on Rafael Nadal, the Serb was recently heard saying, “A part of me left with him and it’s been a challenge to find my motivation again. Luckily, there are other things that give me inspiration. When Rafa stopped, I felt something I had never felt before. Yes, it was hard to stay motivated without him.” So, as Aryna Sabalenka says, it’s better to enjoy to the fullest till it lasts!
However, her friendship with Djokovic is nothing new. For example, in July 2023, the Belarusian was spotted heaping praise on the Serb, saying, “He’s a great guy, a very nice guy. I can easily ask him for advice and he would give it to me. It’s really good to have someone like Novak, a friend like someone like Novak, you can always ask for advice. I mean, I really appreciate for his help to me.” Prior to the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, she even shared a picture of them with the caption, “24 Grand Slams in one pic,” indicating their combined record (at that time).
Last year, when Aryna Sabalenka won the US Open, Novak Djokovic shared a picture of her on his IG story with the caption, “Congratulations, Tigress.” Interestingly, Sabalenka’s coach, Anton Dubrov, also once hailed Djokovic’s “unique trait.” What’s it, though? “Novak experiences something similar when he plays, and the crowds will sometimes cheer against him. But he knows how to channel this energy. This is his unique trait – to do such this in important moments. This is what Aryna has started to do better at. She’s not at the same level yet, but you can strive for it, no matter how you feel.”
Now, both of them have gotten off to an incredible start at the 2025 French Open. What did these two say after their match? Let’s have a look at some of those comments.
Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic share their thoughts after displaying a dominating performance at Roland Garros
Anton Dubrov hailing Novak Djokovic‘s “unique trait” becomes more relevant after his blockbuster clash against the Frenchman, Corentin Moutet, in the second round of the French Open. Just before the start of this match, Djokovic was seen sharing his thoughts on how loud and passionate the French Open crowd is when it comes to cheering for their local lad. Just as expected, he faced a similar situation in his recent match against Moutet.
Although he won the match quite comfortably, later on, he said, “I ended out the match well, moving well, playing a great tiebreak. Obviously, the atmosphere was electric, especially in that third set. He was close to win it, so the crowd got involved. And it was, yeah, not much fun for me. Of course, it’s never easy, but I try to stay calm and do what I need to do, and I think I have done that in a really good way. I always felt like in the past that Suzanne Lenglen get very loud. I think also because the fact that you’re experiencing the match from up close gets you involved even more.” So, it was quite a challenging hurdle to overcome for the Serb!
On the other hand, the world number one, Aryna Sabalenka, didn’t have much trouble in outclassing Serbia’s Olga Danilovic in the third round by 6-2,6-3. But following this victory, she took a jibe at the overbearing and bossy coaches, saying, “I’ve always been quite motivated, and they didn’t have to push me. But I have heard a lot. Saying I’m not smart enough, that I’m stupid and I’ll never make it and I don’t have anything to make it to the top.”
Aryna Sabalenka has been one of the most consistent players in the last couple of seasons and highlighting more of that with a bold statement, she added, “I guess I want to send a quick message to them to quit their job because honestly, I think they know nothing and they better quit just to save other players.“
How in between Sabalenka and Djokovic, do you think has a better chance of lifting the title this year? Share your thoughts in the comment box.
The post ‘Leave Him Alone’- Aryna Sabalenka Hits Back at Novak Djokovic’s Critics With a Brutal Response at the French Open appeared first on EssentiallySports.