Tennis legend Boris Becker has come to the defence of the “important” Novak Djokovic as he spoke openly about the Serbian’s long-term future in the sport.
Six-time Grand Slam champion Becker and Djokovic are known to have a close relationship, with the German coaching his fellow former world No 1 from 2013 to 2016.
Under Becker’s guidance, Djokovic produced some of the most dominant tennis of his career, winning six Grand Slam titles, two ATP Finals titles, and 14 Masters 1000 crowns during their time together.
Despite parting ways in 2016, the German and the 24-time Grand Slam winner still share a close relationship, with the two together as part of the Davis Cup tribute to Nikola Pilic this week.
The 2025 season saw Djokovic reach the semi-final of all four Grand Slam tournaments, though the Serbian had to retire injured at the Australian Open, was beaten by Jannik Sinner at the French Open and Wimbledon, and by Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open.
However, despite not winning a Grand Slam for the second straight year, Djokovic remains a leading figure in the game.
The 38-year-old won ATP Tour titles in Athens and Geneva this year, the 100th and 101st titles of his legendary career, and finished the season ranked fourth, with only Alcaraz, Sinner, and Alexander Zverev ahead of him.
Djokovic turns 39 next year and, having now gone two seasons without adding to his Grand Slam title collection, many have questioned his long-term future in the sport.
Tennis News
Davis Cup prize money takes a big hit as final total for 2025 winners is confirmed
Surprising Carlos Alcaraz statistics confirm he has big room for improvement in 2026
The Serbian has himself revealed his goal of competing until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, though that has done little to stop retirement talk.
But he has now found a welcome voice of support from his former coach.
Asked in an interview with The Guardian if he would be discussing retirement with Djokovic if he were still his coach, Becker suggested people should stop any “challenge” to the 38-year-old’s future.
“Look, I think he’s important for tennis today,” said Becker.
“He leads by example and shows the young players the amount of dedication you need to come to the top and then stay on top. He’s still chasing his 25th Grand Slam and reached all four major semi-finals this year and won two tournaments.
“Who are we to challenge Novak when to stop? I heard the other day that he wants to play at the Olympics in LA 2028. Let him. We need him.”
Former world No 1 Becker was also asked if Djokovic could win a record-extending 25th major title — a possibility the German refused to rule out.
He added: “Whoever was playing against Novak Djokovic lost a lot of money for the last 20 years. So I’d never bet against Novak.”
Djokovic ended his season with his victory over Lorenzo Musetti in the Hellenic Championship final earlier this month, choosing to skip the ATP Finals.
The 38-year-old will likely return to action next season at the 2026 Australian Open, which begins on January 18th.
Read Next: Novak Djokovic’s wealth soars as his total prize money for 2025 is finalised