"Could’ve been the last match ever I played here" - Novak Djokovic makes brutally honest admission after 'emotional' French Open exit

Novak Djokovic, while leaving Court Philippe-Chatrier following his semifinal loss to Jannik Sinner at the 2025 French Open, put his bags down and thanked the crowd for vociferously cheering him on throughout the match. Later, the Serb acknowledged it may have been his last time gracing Roland Garros as an active player.

Djokovic, who turned 38 in May, tried his best to keep up with Sinner's relentless ball-striking on Friday, June 6. Even though the Serb conjured up moments of magic from time to time, ultimately, his efforts were in vain as the reigning ATP No. 1 registered a 6-4, 7-5, 7-6(3) win over the 24-time Major champion.

Later, during his post-match press conference, Novak Djokovic explained why he became "more emotional" than usual as he made his way out from the court.

"This could’ve been the last match ever I played here. I don’t know. That’s why it was a bit more emotional in the end. If this was the farewell match of Roland Garros for in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd," the Serb said.

The former No. 1 went on to express his desire of extending his illustrious playing career. However, according to the 24-time Major champion, it's difficult for him to envision the events that will unfold a year later.

"I don’t know right now. 12 months at this point in my career is quite a long time. Do I wish to play more? Yes I do. But will I be able to play in 12 months time here again? I don’t know. That’s all I can say for the moment," Djokovic added.

The Serb, though, laid bare his intention to see out the rest of 2025 according to his "plan" of featuring at the Wimbledon Championships and the US Open.

"At the moment I will try to stick with the plan I had. Which is play the grand slams. Those tournaments are the priorities of my calendar. Wimbledon and US Open, yes they’re in my plans. That’s all I can say right now. I wanna play Wimbledon and US Open for sure. The rest, I’m not so sure," he concluded.

After the conclusion of the French Open semifinal between Sinner and Djokovic, the Italian spoke up about his admiration for the Serb's high level of performances throughout the tournament.

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"What Novak Djokovic is doing is incredible" - Jannik Sinner after French Open semifinal win

Jannik Sinner (Source: Getty)

Novak Djokovic wasn't at his best in the buildup to the 2025 French Open. Following shocking early exits at the Monte-Carlo Masters and Italian Open, the Serb rediscovered his form at the Geneva Open, where he won his 100th career singles title. He kept up the momentum at Roland Garros, most notably ousting ATP No. 3 Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals.

After coming out on top against the former No. 1 in the semifinals of the clay Major, Jannik Sinner sent a heartfelt message to the Serb, saying the following during his on-court interview:

"It was such a special occasion for me, playing against Novak in the semi-final of a Grand Slam. It’s just amazing, and I had to step up and play the best tennis I could. I’m very happy how I handled the situation, but this shows again what a role model he is for all of us and especially for us young players. What he is doing is incredible and I wish him only the best for the rest of the season. I think we are all very lucky to see him playing such high-level tennis, it’s amazing."

Sinner is set to face defending French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz in this year's final on Sunday, June 8.