Novak Djokovic has been a menace to the new generation of tennis stars with continued excellence and still hoovering up Grand Slam titles and records still at the age of 36. He only realistically has a few more to achieve before he hangs up his racquet, but that may not be for a while.
Tom Brady played 23 seasons in the NFL before finally calling it quits at the age of 45 earlier this year as he wasn't at the top of the sport any more with a new emerging crop of better quarterbacks. But Djokovic said that he has learned a lot from his friend and that he could play until he is 40 so at least four more years of the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
He said this prior to facing Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday afternoon in the big battle between the new rivals atop the sport at the Riyadh Tennis Cup. Yesterday saw Aryna Sabalenka topple Ons Jabeur in the first part, with even more tickets sold for the clash of the tennis titans.
"Tom Brady is a great example of a champion in his sport and someone that has had such a great career and longevity," Djokovic told reporters on Tuesday. "He has put a lot of hours and a lot of time into self-care, into recovery, into making sure that in a way every aspect of his body and mind is covered so that he can have a long-lasting, successful career.
"I know him personally and I learned a lot from him, from his example, and hopefully I can have a career that goes up to 40 or maybe even beyond -- let's see."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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