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Djokovic, the eternal competitor: from thinking about goodbye to dreaming again

At 38, Novak Djokovic continues to prove why he is one of the biggest names in tennis history. The Serb is not going through his most brilliant moment, that's for sure. Recent defeats and the emergence of new giants like Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz have cast doubt on his reign and, more importantly, have made him question his own permanence on the circuit. But when many thought that the end was near, Djokovic returned to the court with that look that has so often been synonymous with war. And Roland Garros has been, once again, the perfect scenario to remind us that this guy does not give up so easily.

After falling early in tournaments like Monte Carlo or Madrid, Djokovic showed up in Paris full of doubts. He even disputed an ATP 250 in Geneva to add minutes on court, something unusual for a legend of his caliber. His previous speech was clear: if he stopped feeling competitive, if his body did not respond, if the fire went out, he had no problem saying goodbye. He didn't want to grovel or become a shadow of himself. But then came the match against Zverev in the quarterfinals and everything changed.

Djokovic didn't just win. He crushed. And beyond the scoreboard, the important thing was the feeling he left on the court: the intensity, the focus, the energy. The Djokovic that everyone knows and fears is back. And he himself made it clear after the match: "For years, the most important thing for me has been the Grand Slams. It's where I want to give my best. It's where I want to be."

It's these kinds of matches that keep him wanting to keep going. He did it in January in Australia, where he beat Alcaraz limping - literally - before having to pull out of the tournament due to injury. He has done it again now in Paris. He does not need to accumulate minor titles or break records every week. He's all about big dates, about days marked in red on the calendar. When everyone is watching, Djokovic appears.

And although the new generation is pushing hard, he still won't give up. Sinner and Alcaraz may win tournaments, yes, but Djokovic is still around, still with something to say. In a circuit where his contemporaries have already retired or play without pressure, the Serb is still in battle mode. Because unlike others, he does not play for routine or for applause. He plays to win. Always.

The interesting thing is that this tournament has made him rethink everything. When he arrived in Paris it seemed that it could be his last great adventure. Now, after a very high level, there is talk that perhaps we are facing a new rebirth. Because if anything Djokovic has shown is that he does not need to be good all year to make a difference. He only needs to be good on the key days. And that, at least for now, he continues to do like few others.

So no, it's not yet time to say goodbye to Novak Djokovic. If anyone thought that we had seen it all, that it was already a thing of the past, here is the Serb reminding us that as long as there is a Grand Slam at stake, he will continue to fight. And knowing him, he will surely still have a couple of epic nights under the spotlight.