Novak Djokovic leaves the Australian Open still stuck on 24 Grand Slam titles and with fresh doubts about how many more tries he will have at winning an outright-record 25th.
The 38-year-old has consistently dismissed talk of retirement and said he is eyeing the defence of his Olympic gold at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
But after losing to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets in the final on Sunday, the Serb suggested he may not be back in Melbourne.
“God knows what happens tomorrow, let alone in six months or 12 months,” he told the crowd at Rod Laver Arena.
“So, it has been a great ride. I love you guys.”
Djokovic has won a record 10 Australian Opens and until Sunday had never lost a final there.
But for all his success, Djokovic has not always had an easy relationship with the Melbourne fans.
“I want to just say in the end that you guys, particularly the last couple of matches, gave me something that I have never experienced in Australia,” he said.
“That much love, support, positivity. I tried to give you back with good tennis over the years.”
It had the ring of a farewell speech and did not appear to have been just an emotional response to defeat.
He said he had prepared two speeches, one for winning and the other for losing.
Djokovic won his 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2023, drawing him level with the Australian Margaret Court at the top of the all-time list.
But age and injuries, plus the emergence of world No 1 Alcaraz and No 2 Jannik Sinner, have left him unable to win another.
Before Sunday, his previous Grand Slam final had been in 2024, when he lost the Wimbledon decider, again to Alcaraz.
Last year, he reached the semi-finals of all four majors but got no further, with Alcaraz and Sinner sharing the spoils.
He rolled back the years to defeat Sinner – 14 years his junior – in a five-set semi-final marathon in Melbourne.
But after Djokovic won the first set, the 22-year-old Alcaraz took a stranglehold on the final to sweep to victory 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5.
Underlining where Djokovic is now in the pecking order of men’s tennis, he admitted he had not expected to reach another major final.
If the former world No 1 was going to win that elusive 25th, he may reflect that he has seen his best remaining chance come and go.
He is the undisputed king of Melbourne Park and Rod Laver Arena is the court where he has had the most success.
The fourth seed enjoyed two big pieces of luck in reaching the semi-finals.
Djokovic enjoyed free passage through the fourth round when Jakub Mensik pulled out with injury.
He was then facing defeat at two sets down to Lorenzo Musetti, only for the Italian fifth seed to retire injured.
He rolled back the years to beat Sinner and make the final, but a repeat success so soon after playing five sets was beyond him.
“Overall, for sure it’s been a fantastic tournament,” he said.
“I knew that I’d probably have to beat two of them [Alcaraz and Sinner] on the way to the title.
“I beat one, which is great, so it’s a step more further than I have gone in Grand Slams than last year.
“Very nice, encouraging. But, you know, not enough for me.”
So what next for one of the all-time greats?
For whatever time is left, he won’t give up on that 25th Grand Slam crown, even if the odds are now stacked against him.
“I always believe I can,” Djokovic said about finally eclipsing Court.
“Otherwise, I wouldn’t be competing.”
– AFP