Paris [France], June 7 : Following his loss to world number one Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of the French Open, Serbian tennis icon Novak Djokovic said that the match could be his last ever played at the venue and he is uncertain if he will return for another title chase a year later.
Djokovic's top form cooled off as Sinner's quality shotmaking helped him seal a title clash with rival Carlos Alcaraz.
Sinner defeated three-time French Open winner and 100-time tour-level titlist 6-4, 7-5, 7-6(3). After his loss, he packed his bags and waved to a cheering crowd goodbye before leaving the court.
The match featured points earned all over the tennis court, Sinner's precision and power, and his great serve. This all overwhelmed the 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic and helped the 23-year-old set up a first-ever major final between players born in the 2000s.
Alcaraz stands one victory away from defending his crown at Paris after Italy's Lorenzo Musetti retired in the fourth set of their gripping semi-final clash on Friday. The 22-year-old Spaniard led Musetti 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-0, 2-0 when the Italian retired from the match after two hours and 25 minutes.
Speaking after the post-match presser as quoted by ATP's official website, Djokovic said, "This could have been the last match ever I played here, so I do not know. That is why I was a bit more emotional even in the end."
"If this was the farewell match of the Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd."
"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 is all I can say for the moment," he said.
Speaking about his match, during which he showed some moments of brilliance, Djokovic, a 24-time major champion, said that "he did give him (Sinner) a run for his money".
"I tried to make him work till the last shot. I did what I could. This is sport. You have to just shake the hand of the better player and move on. I must say that I was proud of my effort tonight [and] in this tournament, considering I was not in great form coming into Roland Garros, but he was just too good for me tonight," he added.
Djokovic, who trails Sinner by 4-5 in head-to-head record, praised his opponent, saying that he has been playing "tennis of his life".
"Jannik is the kind of player who loves to play at a very fast pace the entire match. He is very physical. He is very fit, and he is striking the ball incredibly well. He seems to always be on good timing. Rarely he is off-balance, and he is just playing the tennis of his life," he said.
On the Alcaraz-Sinner title clash, Djokovic said that the sport needs their rivalry. The title clash will be taking place on Sunday.
"The way they are playing and the way they are approaching tennis life, I think they are going to have very successful careers. I am sure that we are going to see them lifting the big trophies quite often," he concluded.
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