Novak Djokovic’s colossal net worth, plans for after tennis, retirement statements

Novak Djokovic’s quest for an 11th Australian Open title came to a crashing halt during his semi-final clash with Alexander Zverev on Friday.

Djokovic lost a 7-6(5) opening set to Zverev, before his tournament was cut short by a muscle tear in his upper left leg, leading him to shake hands with the German and retire from the match. The Serbian tennis legend went into the match wearing dark tape and a white bandage on his thigh, having suffered the injury during his win over Carlos Alcaraz earlier in the week.

Though the 37-year-old looked close to his best across a taxing 81-minute first set, he eventually decided he was unable to continue, before being booed by a section of Melbourne Park spectators who had paid a fortune to watch him play.

This latest setback serves as a poignant reminder of Djokovic’s tennis mortality, showing that his body may not be as resilient as it once was. And the 24-time Grand Slam champion addressed his plans to retire during his press conference afterwards.

Retirement stance

Djokovic admitted it was unclear whether he would return to Melbourne Park in the future, saying: “I don’t know, there is a chance. Who knows? I’ll just have to see how the season goes.” But crucially, he indicated that he would like to continue if his body permits him to.

“I want to keep going, but whether I’m going to have a revised schedule or not for the next year, I’m not sure,” Djokovic said. “I normally like to come to Australia and play, and I’ve had the biggest success in my career here. So if I’m fit, healthy, motivated, I don’t see a reason why I wouldn’t come, but there’s always a chance.”

It echoed his previous sentiments, as the veteran told La Nacion in October that retirement isn’t on his agenda just yet. Djokovic insisted he was confident that he could still challenge for titles, saying: “Deep down, I still feel like I have a few more Grand Slams to win. That’s what drives me to keep going, to feel like I can still do it, and to play the Davis Cup for Serbia. Tennis is still my biggest voice for sharing the messages that interest me the most. I still enjoy the process and everything it gives me.

“Maybe some people think I should retire with the Olympic gold, on a high. Others, on the contrary, think I should keep going as long as I’m a candidate for the Grand Slams. I’m leaning towards the latter. Maybe I’ll change my mind soon, but now I feel like I want to keep going.”

He reiterated his ambitions after making it to the Australian Open quarter-finals last year, stating: “I don’t feel like leaving tennis in that position (number one)” and “I feel like I want to keep on going. The fire is still burning.”

However, Djokovic did admit that he has begun to think about how he wants to conclude his career, revealing his father is a major influence in persuading him to retire. “I don’t know if he’s going to be happy with me saying this,” explained Djokovic, “but I’m going to say it anyway. It starts with my dad. My dad has been trying to retire me for a while now. No, honestly! But he hasn’t been pushy. He respects my decision to keep going. And of course he understands why I want to keep going, but he’s like: ‘What else do you want to do?’

“He understands the amount and the intensity of the pressure and tension that is out there, and the stress that has an effect on my health, my body, and then, consequently, on everyone else who is around me, including him. So that’s why he was like: ‘My son, start to think about how you want to end this.’”

He went on to add: “But I am thinking about how I want to end it and when I want to end it. No, I’m going to take that back. I do think about the how more than the when. The ‘when’, I’m not thinking about it as of yet so intensely. How I would like to end it? I feel if I start to lose more and feel like there is a bigger gap, that I start to have more challenges in overcoming those big obstacles in big Slams, then I’ll probably call it a day.”

Net worth

Djokovic’s decision to hang up his racket will not be decided by any financial concerns. The Serbian powerhouse has raked in more from playing tennis than anyone else, amassing over $184million (£149m) thanks to his 99 career titles.

According to Celebrity Net Worth, this achievement paired with his lucrative endorsements, takes Djokovic’s net worth to a colossal $240m (£193m). He was sponsored by Adidas until 2009 before signing a ten-year deal with Sergio Tacchini. In 2012, he penned a five-year brand ambassador deal with Uniqlo that was reportedly worth just under £7m-a-year.

In 2017, he ended his deal with Uniqlo and signed with Lacoste as a brand ambassador instead. The list of marquee brands affiliated with Djokovic also includes the likes of Mercedes-Benz and Seiko. Between June 2018 and June 2019 alone, he earned an astonishing $50m (£40m) from sponsorships.

Post-tennis plans

Given his recent injuries, pressure from his dad and his age, Djokovic has naturally begun to contemplate his future after retirement. His passion for tennis means he is likely to remain involved in some capacity, having acknowledged that he wants to give back to the sport.

Speaking before his opening match at the Shanghai Masters in October, Djokovic said: “It’s just a sport that I fell in love with when I was very young and I still have the love for the sport. Even when I retire from professional tennis, I feel like I’m going to stay in tennis, stay involved in different roles because I feel like I owe this sport a lot for what it has been giving to me.”

His father, Srdjan, has made it clear that after calling time on his career, Novak will move back to his home city of Belgrade, despite owning properties in New York and Monaco. Yet, from the sound of things, Djokovic won’t be settling down to a quiet life, instead hoping to try his hand at a number of different professions.

“I am interested in many things. I still want to learn to play the saxophone, to really learn,” Djokovic revealed, having performed on stage with cellist Stjepan Hauser at a concert in Belgrade back in 2023. “A few years ago I played decently for a while, but then I became bad because I didn’t practise regularly.

“I would like to learn to sing, to play some instruments. Saxophone is number one, but I would like to learn to play the others as well. I would like to learn and act in the theatre, I love the theatre. Theatre above all, but I also like movies.

“I prefer live interaction though. I love comedy and try to pick up some tricks from friends who are actors. I would like to start painting and drawing and making things.”