Novak Djokovic Once Considered Quitting Tennis

Jelena Djokovic has shared a stunning revelation that tennis superstar Novak Djokovic once decided to quit the sport seven years ago. It took days of convincing from his family to make him reconsider.

Novak’s Difficult Moment

In a recent interview on the podcast In Depth with Graham Bensinger, Jelena Djokovic revealed that a devastating first-round loss at the Miami Open 2018 led Novak to believe his time in tennis was over.

Earlier that year, Djokovic underwent elbow surgery after being eliminated from the Australian Open by an unseeded Korean player, Chung Hyeon. His return to the court resulted in another crushing defeat to Benoit Paire at Miami, pushing him into a deep personal and professional crisis.

“Novak gathered us all together and said, ‘I’m done. I don’t want to play anymore,’” Jelena recalled.

She added, “I cried and told him, ‘You can’t give up now. This isn’t the time to quit.’ But he was truly set on walking away.”

A Turning Point on Vacation

Jelena explained that the family took a vacation together to help Novak through this challenging time. During the trip, Novak refused to engage with tennis at all.

“On the third or fourth day of the trip, he saw me and Stefan (their son) playing tennis on the court,” Jelena said.

“Seeing how much fun we were having, he asked, ‘Can I have a racket?’ He hit a few balls, served a bit, and thought, ‘This isn’t so bad.’ That was the moment he decided to call Marian Vajda and ask him to come back as his coach.”

A Remarkable Comeback

Just four months later, Novak Djokovic completed a stunning comeback. He reached the Wimbledon 2018 final and defeated South Africa’s Kevin Anderson in straight sets to claim his first Grand Slam title since his injury.

Now, Djokovic is preparing for the Round of 16 at the Australian Open 2025, where he will face 24th seed Jiri Lehecka on Sunday. Novak recently secured a 2-0 victory against Tomas Machac in the previous round.

A Story of Resilience

Novak Djokovic’s return to the top is not only a testament to his incredible skill but also his unwavering determination to overcome adversity. Those moments of doubt and despair are now part of an inspiring chapter in the legend’s illustrious career.