‘Stay as long as possible’: Kyrgios’ Djokovic plea as tennis legend withdraws from Open lead-in

Nick Kyrgios has urged everyone involved in tennis to appreciate Novak Djokovic while he is still playing as the 24-time grand slam champion withdrew from his only lead-in tournament to the Australian Open.

Speaking to this masthead, Kyrgios said people should stop pestering Djokovic about when he will retire and instead “cherish” the final stages of a career that has arguably established him as the greatest men’s player ever, including a record 10 titles at Melbourne Park.

World No.4 Djokovic, who turns 39 in May, revealed at the World Sports Summit in Dubai barely a week ago that he wanted to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, so he has no intention of finishing soon.

“We always do this with athletes, especially the ones who are in a whole different conversation [like Djokovic]. Why is he still playing? I don’t know – he’s an anomaly. He’s different. He loves the sport,” Kyrgios said.

“There’s obviously something there that he wants to achieve, whether it’s another grand slam or something else, but I think we should just cherish the fact that someone that old in our sport is still at the top of it and still gives everything to it.

“The longer we have guys like this around, the better it is for our sport.

“I feel like there’s been a void in the sport ever since [Roger] Federer and [Rafael] Nadal left ... and obviously, when Novak goes, that era is completely gone. I want him to stay for as long as possible.”

Djokovic announced in the early hours of Tuesday morning (AEDT) that he had pulled out of next week’s Adelaide International because he was not “physically ready”.

He is increasingly selective about when and where he plays, but will have competitive opportunities if he wants them during the Australian Open’s “Opening Week” next week, or even at the Kooyong Classic.

It was Djokovic’s second big announcement in as many days after he shared on Monday that he was stepping away from the Professional Tennis Players Association that he co-founded due to his values no longer being aligned with the organisation’s direction.

“To all my fans in Adelaide, unfortunately I’m not quite ready to compete in the Adelaide International next week,” Djokovic posted on social media.

“It’s personally very disappointing to me as I have such great memories of winning the title there two years ago [actually 2023]. I was really excited about returning as it truly felt like playing at home.

“My focus is now on my preparation for the Australian Open and I look forward to arriving in Melbourne soon and seeing all the tennis fans in Australia.”

Djokovic is ranked behind only Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev entering the year, and reached the semi-finals at all four grand slams in 2025.

He retired from his Australian Open semi-final last year after losing a tight first set to Zverev because of a torn hamstring muscle.

Djokovic regularly fields retirement questions, but him targeting the next Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028 – after beating Alcaraz to win Olympic gold in Paris two years ago – may douse that interest at least temporarily.

“I will play at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. These Games are the guiding star for me,” Djokovic said late last month.

“There are no limits. I love to compete and as long as I feel good, as long as my body can handle it, as long as I play at a high level, why not?

“Longevity is not just about sports, but about how you maintain your body, mind, energy and time. Billie Jean King once said: ‘Pressure is a privilege.’ I have always wanted to meet the world’s expectations. That’s why I am grateful to still be here.”

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