Tennis legend John McEnroe has predicted that Novak Djokovic will retire from the sport the moment he believes he can no longer win Grand Slam titles.
Speaking to the BBC during Wimbledon coverage, McEnroe said: "When he's going to stop playing: the moment he thinks he can't win one, I'm assuming."
The seven-time Grand Slam champion's comments come as Djokovic pursues a record-breaking 25th major title at the All England Club.
The 38-year-old Serbian is currently tied with Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam singles titles.
John McEnroe believes Novak Djokovic will retire when he believes he cannot win Grand Slam titles anymore
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McEnroe suggested that breaking Court's record would represent "the perfect time to stop" for Djokovic.
Djokovic has shown impressive form at this year's Championships, reaching the third round with commanding performances.
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He demolished Britain's Dan Evans 6-3, 6-2, 6-0 on Thursday, securing his 99th Wimbledon match victory.
The Serbian star is targeting a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title, though he will likely need to overcome world number one Jannik Sinner and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz to achieve that goal.
His next opponent is fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic on Saturday, when Djokovic will aim to reach a century of wins at SW19.
The 38-year-old's motivation for regular ATP Tour events has diminished, but he continues to excel at Grand Slam level.
McEnroe offered a cautionary perspective on the timing of retirement, noting: "But if he was still winning at that level?
"At worst he's three in the world, right? So to me, it'd be pretty tempting to keep going."
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Novak Djokovic was in fine form as he thrashed Dan Evans
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The American warned against continuing too long: "But you don't want to get to that point where, god forbid it's hard to even imagine, him getting beaten up by more than just a couple of people."
McEnroe observed that Djokovic's priorities have shifted. "He's already said he doesn't care about the year-end No 1 ranking, he did that for like eight years,"
McEnroe told the BBC. "Now he just wants to try and win majors so he's not playing many tournaments."
Djokovic expressed supreme confidence following his victory over Evans.
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"I'm very, very pleased with the performance. From the very first point of the get-go, I was really sharp," he said.
The Serbian highlighted his comfort on Centre Court: "If I play like today, I feel like I have a very good chance against anybody, really, on the Centre Court of Wimbledon, a place where I maybe feel the most comfortable on any court."
He added: "I felt great physically, mentally sharp.
"Game-wise, I'm playing as well as I can, really, on grass. So hopefully I can keep it up."
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