Novak Djokovic opens up about his plans for remainder of 2025 season after apologizing for his abrupt retirement vs Taylor Fritz at Six Kings Slam

Novak Djokovic apologized to his fans for bowing out of the Six Kings Slam by retirement, but dropped a hint of playing the last tournaments of the season after resting up well. The Serb lost the first set to Fritz and abruptly retired from the third-place playoff, but received a bye into the semifinals.

Novak Djokovic, who has been crafting a historic career at 38, last won a Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open. Since then, he has reached the semifinals of most Majors but has fallen short against the top-ranked players. However, the legendary Serb clinched his first Olympic gold in Paris 2024, achieving the Career Golden Slam and adding his name to the exclusive list of players with that honor.

Following his Shanghai Masters stint, where he lost to the ultimate champion, Valentin Vacherot, in the semifinal, Djokovic graced the Six Kings Slam court. He was contesting Taylor Fritz in the third-place play-off when he abruptly retired after losing the first set to his American opponent.

Reflecting on it, the 24-time Grand Slam champion apologized to his fans but ensured that he would play the remaining tournaments of the year after a break to address his health issues.

"Not great. I want to apologize to everybody. Sorry guys. Sorry you couldn’t see the second set... Well now it’s rest and really addressing some of the issues I have with my body. And then hopefully playing the last couple of tournaments of the season, let’s see.” (via post-match interview)

Djokovic played against Jannik Sinner in the semifinals, but lost to the Italian, who ultimately won his second consecutive title by defeating Carlos Alcaraz.

Novak Djokovic expressed his feelings after facing a tough loss to Jannik Sinner at the Six Kings Slam

Djokovic and Sinner at the Six Kings Slam 2025 - Day Two - Source: Getty

Djokovic has faced Jannik Sinner multiple times in recent months but hasn’t been able to outclass his younger counterpart, who dethroned him for the No. 1 ranking in June 2024. At the Six Kings Slam this year, the Serb further faced off against the defending champion in the semifinals but lost in straight sets.

Following the match, the 38-year-old expressed his admiration for the Italian, stating that his tennis was too good. However, he also admitted feeling disappointed to have lost the feat.

"The love of the game and the passion are there. Excuse my language, but it's never pleasant when someone kicks your butt like that on the court. But it's incredible to be able to keep playing at a high level."

Djokovic stands as the only player to complete a Career Golden Masters and achieve the Career Grand Slam thrice.