Djokovic picks up the pieces after Sinner’s clay masterclass

Paris: Novak Djokovic added another layer of intrigue when the Serbian hinted that he may have played for one last time on the brick-red Parisian clay at the French Open.

Late on Friday, the 38-year-old lost in straight sets to Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals, where the difference in age and speed showed. No, Djokovic was not struggling but the difference was in the superior agility of Sinner, who had faced a three-month doping suspension this year. In the end, when the Italian won 6-4 7-5 7-6(7), it was a case of missed chances for the Serbian.

No excuses, there were chances which Djokovic could have grabbed. It was a case of ‘misses’ but he realised that to have pushed so hard on clay was punching way above his weight.

Social media exploded into speculation if Novak was bidding goodbye to the French Open. He had failed at this venue in 2024, when he slipped and tore his meniscus in the knee. He underwent a surgery and bounced back, which was remarkable as he was fit for the championships. Of course, the biggest reward was winning the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

At the press conference, Djokovic created doubts. “(It) was a straight-set loss, but I feel like I did give him a run for his money, so to say,” Djokovic said. “I tried to make him work till the last shot. I did what I could. This is a sport. You have to just shake the hand of the better player and move on,” he added.

And then came the intrigue. “This could have been the last match I ever played here, so I don’t know. That’s why I was a bit more emotional even in the end,” said Djokovic, a three-time Roland Garros champion. “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’s all I can say for the moment,” he said.

Viewed on television, it was clear the Serbian was emotional. Had it been grass, he would have plucked a blade of the green turf and eaten it. As Djokovic walked off the court, he touched the slippery clay surface. It has been kind to him. For those who saw him drop out of the Australian Open with a crazy injury, after which he even put out on social media his MRI scan report, bouncing back has been a strong one.

He has not trained crazily but sensibly.