'I would be surprised if he tried to go one more year' - John McEnroe makes audacious prediction over the future of Novak Djokovic after US Open departure

It is yet more disappointment for Novak Djokovic in 2025, who crashed out of a major semi-final for the fourth consecutive tournament after losing in straight sets to world number two Carlos Alcaraz. After the defeat, seven-time Grand Slam champion John McEnroe made a bold statement about the future of the Serbian.

This is the first time Djokovic has gone two years without winning a Grand Slam title since 2010, and a fifth semi-final in two years. For context, between 2010 and 2023, he lost out at the last four stages just six times. He leaves the US Open empty-handed and rueing another missed opportunity to add to his 24 Grand Slams.

In Melbourne, he upset Alcaraz in the quarter-finals before retiring through injury against Alexander Zverev in a disappointing climax to the event. He would come into the world number one, Jannik Sinner, at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, but was unable to even win a set off the Italian in two damaging performances for Djokovic.

En route to the semis in New York, he defeated the likes of former Wimbledon semi-finalist Cameron Norrie and last year's finalist Taylor Fritz in a commanding performance. He was unable to do the same to Alcaraz, who proved to be just too good for the 38-year-old. Even when Djokovic grabbed his sole break of the match at the start of the second set, Alcaraz fought back and reinstated the tie on serve two games later. He was hapless in the third and culminating set, with the Spaniard on top form in dispatching Djokovic in fine fashion.

McEnroe predicts the near is close

After the match, McEnroe commented on the possible imminent retirement of Djokovic, predicting that he had just played his final match. Speaking live on ESPN, the American said: “I don’t know. It’s all up to him. In a way, I wouldn’t be surprised if he stopped. But I would be surprised if he tried to go one more year. That would be my bet.

“He’s been the third-best player in the world this year. That’s what he was. So we hear the applause. That’s nice. But these guys have separated themselves. These two, it’s incredible. How quickly they’ve just dominated the game. What are we gonna do? No Federer, Nadal. Then these two come along.”

It is interesting to see what Djokovic does next. With just two finals reached and one 250 title to his name this year, he has skipped a lot of big tournaments in search of an elusive 25th Slam, but has come up dry.

After playing in the first four Masters 1000 events; making it to the final in Miami as well as three round two defeats in Indian Wells, Monte Carlo and Madrid, he sat out the next three, just playing one match between Wimbledon and the US Open, which was in the revamped mixed doubles event held a week before the main draw commenced, losing out to Russian pair Daniil Medvedev and Mirra Andreeva.

There is no reason for Djokovic to be playing anymore. At 38 years old, he has outlasted his three greatest rivals, broken a whole host of records, whilst won everything the game has to offer him. His collection was finished with the cherished Olympic gold medal he won in Paris last year. After multiple defeats to Sinner and Alcaraz, the question is starting to crop up whether he can beat one of them over a best-of-five format. If he does not believe he can, then McEnroe may have a point in retiring when his stocks are still high. Coming up to his 39th birthday, his last match on the tennis court is starting to creep up on him, it is just when he decides he cannot compete/enjoy the game anymore.