BBC Sport
[Source: BBC Sport]
Before Novak Djokovic left the court after his French Open semi-final defeat, he put his racquet bags down on the clay and said a heartfelt goodbye to the Paris crowd.
He bent to touch the clay on Court Philippe Chatrier before holding his hand to his heart and waving to the crowd.
It felt like a final farewell for a player who turned 38 last month.
Or will it prove to be ‘au revoir’ until they meet again next year?
Three-time champion Djokovic, who lost a tight battle with world number one Jannik Sinner in straight sets, is unsure if he will return.
“This could have been the last match I ever played here – I don’t know. That’s why it was a bit more emotional at the end,” said Djokovic.
“But if this was the farewell match of Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd.”
Djokovic was given huge vocal support as he tried to move a step closer to a standalone record 25th major title.
The Serb was also aiming for another record – victory in Sunday’s final would have made him the oldest Grand Slam men’s singles champion.
But he could not break down the steely resistance of top seed Sinner, who won 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) to set up a final against second seed Carlos Alcaraz.
Pressed about how his future could look, Djokovic said: “I don’t know right now. Twelve months at this point in my career is quite a long time.
“Do I wish to play more? Yes, I do. But will I be able to play in 12 months’ time here again? I don’t know.
“That’s all I can say for the moment.“
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