"I'll come back, maybe not as a player": Novak Djokovic drops retirement hint, admits Madrid Open return up in the air

Novak Djokovic admits he may not return to the Madrid Open as a player in a potential retirement hint from the great 24-time Grand Slam champion after he was skittled out by Matteo Arnaldi on Saturday.

Djokovic was on the end of an all too familiar story as he was beaten 6-3, 6-4 with only the Miami run as of late showing any case of resolve. He was beaten by Alejandro Tabilo last year and similarly had a poor clay court run last year.

“It could be. It could be. I'm not sure if I will come back. So, I don't know, I don't know what to say. I mean, I'll come back, maybe not as a player, of course. I hope it's not, but it could be," he said post match.

He was asked about not having expectations but despite that being the case, he said that he still expected to win more games. He was down on himself after the defeat saying that it is now potentially the new reality that he is trying to win a match or two over winning titles which is what other top names have felt before retiring.

“Not big at all, to be honest. I was hoping I can play one more match than I played in Monte-Carlo. Kind of new reality for me, I have to say. You know, trying to win a match or two, not really thinking about getting far in the tournament. It's a completely different feeling from what I had in 20-plus years of professional tennis, so it's kind of a challenge for me mentally to really face these kind of sensations on the court, going out early now regularly in the tournaments.

"But, you know, that's, I guess, the circle of life and the career (smiling), eventually it was going to happen. Now I'm trying to, you know, use this as a driving force for the future. Obviously Grand Slams, I was saying many times, are the most important tournaments for me. Which doesn't mean that I don't want to win here, of course I wanted to,but, you know, Grand Slams is where I really want to play the best tennis. I'm not sure if I'll be able to do that in Roland Garros, but I'll do my best.”