Djokovic has a lot of question marks going into this year’s Roland Garros.

Novak Djokovic and Marion Bartoli (via Imago)

Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli recently shared her thoughts about Novak Djokovic‘s struggles in 2024. The Serb is entering this year’s Roland Garros campaign after a shocking loss against Tomas Machac in Geneva.

Bartoli, who won her lone Grand Slam at SW19 in 2013, was speaking on Prime Video regarding the inconsistencies surrounding Djokovic’s form ahead of this year’s Roland Garros.

I had the chance to have a discussion with one of his staff members before the tournament started and, in fact, the biggest issue they are dealing with Novak at the moment is that there are days when he wakes up with intact motivation, and there are days when, we can understand, he more wants to be with his wife, his children, to take them to school , to lead a normal life, to be at the beach, to enjoy and to tell himself that he has accomplished everything.

Marion Bartoli said on Prime Video

Bartoli’s comments came at the backset of Djokovic beginning his Roland Garros campaign in the night session yesterday against the 142nd-ranked Pierre-Hugues Herbert, winning the fixture eventually in three sets. He is the defending champion, having defeated Casper Ruud in last year’s final to claim his third crown in Paris.

He oscillates between these two emotions and this is the reason why sometimes he is completely absent from the field. I was talking with one of his coaches who told me that we didn't understand the match in Rome. He didn't want to play even though in training he was doing very well. We realize that these immense champions also have human emotions and that for them, we must seek this resource eternally to produce the best tennis.

Marion Bartoli added

The Serbian great was in attendance in the stands on Monday to witness the highly-anticipated first-round match between Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev. The German emerged victorious in straight sets, becoming only the second man after Djokovic to beat Nadal in this manner at the clay slam.

Should Novak Djokovic consider retirement?

As Bartoli mentioned, Nole is surely having some detachment from tennis lately. When a player has won 24 Grand Slam events, spent over 400 weeks at the top of the ATP rankings, and clinched 40 Masters 1000 titles, he must reflect on his achievements. However, there comes a moment when these players must decide whether to continue striving for greatness or consider retirement.

Novak Djokovic (via Imago)
Numerous examples illustrate this dilemma. Ashleigh Barty, performing at her peak in 2022, retired as World No.1 due to a lack of emotional drive to continue. Her departure, while at the pinnacle of her career, remains memorable in the tennis world.

Now, attention turns to Novak Djokovic, also holding the World No.1 spot for much of his career. Yet, challenges have arisen in his game. Retirement isn’t imminent, especially with important events like the Paris Olympics on his schedule, where he aims for gold for Serbia. Envisioning him exiting the game as the Olympic gold medalist would be iconic.

Tennis players often choose to retire when they’re content. Seeing his rivals, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, retire or contemplate it due to physical concerns, Djokovic likely wishes to avoid a similar fate, given his stellar physical condition. Therefore, it’s time for Djokovic to elevate his game in upcoming tournaments, like the Olympics, and consider bidding farewell on a high note.