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Novak Djokovic’s retirement, last tournament predicted by broadcasters amid fitness woes: ‘2026 will be end of the road’

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Novak Djokovic, at 38, is hurtling towards his retirement and the ongoing fitness issues could propel the Serbian to that decision, most likely next year in 2026, some of the world’s most popular tennis broadcasters said on The Tennis Podcast.

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Djokovic last won a Grand Slam at the US Open in 2023 and has consistently come short against Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the last two years. But it’s not the drop in the level of the tennis from the 24-time Grand Slam winner that is bothering fans and broadcasters, but the drop in his physical standards.

Known for unmatched stamina and fitness, Djokovic has suffered injuries at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open during the 2025 campaign. Recently, at the Shanghai Open, Djokovic lost to world No 204 Valentin Vacherot in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters after struggling with a back issue.

During his entire Shanghai Masters campaign, Djokovic was regularly seen facing fitness issues and eventually gave up in the semi-finals.

Novak Djokovic to retire in 2026? Predictions are in

Discussing what’s next for Djokovic in tennis and predicting when he will retire next, Britain’s famous tennis broadcasters Catherine Whitaker, David Law and Matt Roberts in The Tennis Podcast said that 2026 would most certainly be his last.

Whitaker opened the conversation by asking Roberts about what’s next for Djokovic. “Where do we stand on where Novak Djokovic is after last week Matt?”

Roberts then moved the conversation towards the reasons Djokovic played at Shanghai and his fitness issues. “I think it slightly depends what your answer is to the question: why did he go to Shanghai?

“Because if he went to prove that he can still win big level tournaments and I think particularly get through big level tournaments without physical issues.

“I remember in that final press conference at the US Open where he was talking a lot about the problems he’s having over best of five, but he mentioned best of three, and like over that format he almost thinks that he would have maybe more of a shot at beating Sinner or Alcaraz because it really felt like it was the physical toll of having played four or five best of five matches and then having to play Sinner and Alcaraz at the Slams that was holding him back.

“But we saw a lot of physical issues in Shanghai, even over best of three. Every match was an enormous struggle and it was a combination of I think the conditions, like they’ve never been his ideal conditions that kind of oppressive heat and humidity, particularly now I think they’re not going to be.

“But he was obviously having quite a lot of back issues as well, wasn’t he?

“Look, at times, his level was good. But equally, at times, he was being really pushed by guys he’s always been able to beat much more easily than that. He went three sets with Hanfmann, three sets with Munar, two tight sets with Zizou Bergs. It was not peak Djokovic level.

“So if you think he went to win the title and maybe even beat a Sinner or Alcaraz; I think them not being in the tournament, certainly Alcaraz not even starting it, Sinner having to retire so early in it, that might have opened it up as a chance for Djokovic to win it.

“But he might have gone there hoping to play one of them and test his own level against them over best of three.

“So from that point of view, I think you have to say I don’t think he got out of Shanghai what he wanted at all.”

He added, “However, I’m having a slight readjustment of why Novak Djokovic is playing tennis at all, and I’ve always thought he’s only playing to win. But he’s kind of told us that he is looking for these moments, he is looking for appreciation and love and he’s getting that.

“I mean, the reception he gets in China has always been incredible. I think he’s earned it and deserved it by the way that he really does go out of his way to… he speaks pretty good Chinese, and he writes on the camera, and he spends a lot of time with the fans. He really does respect the culture that is over there and the fans that he has there and all of that.

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Paige Spiranac’s surprising NFL fandom confession triggers heated debate over loyalty, authenticity, and fan culture

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The 2026 NFL Draft starts Thursday night in Pittsburgh, and the spotlight isn’t only on prospects and front offices. Golf influencer Paige Spiranac has again found herself pulled into NFL conversation, this time for her open support of multiple teams.

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With the Steelers hosting the first round, her long-standing connection to Pittsburgh has resurfaced. But it’s not just about hometown ties. Her broader fandom, which stretches beyond one franchise, continues to draw mixed reactions at a time when fan loyalty is often treated as non-negotiable.

Paige Spiranac roots for 2 NFL teams: Who are they?

Paige Spiranac has never hidden where her loyalties lie, even if they don’t fit the usual mold. She has consistently pointed to her roots while leaving space for other allegiances.

“Both my parents are from Pittsburgh so I’ve been a Steelers ..fan since the day I was born. I also love the Bills. It’s a complicated relationship…Who’s your team?” she previously asked her followers. It’s a candid admission, one that reflects personal history more than calculated fandom.

Still, the reaction has been sharp. NFL culture tends to rew ..

 

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Quiet moments on the course can say a lot about what’s coming next.

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Sometimes the most important work happens when nobody is really watching.
Lexi Thompson was out on the 18th green, working through her putting during a practice round ahead of the Chevron Championship in Houston.

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It’s a simple scene, but it shows the kind of quiet preparation that goes into these big tournaments—getting the feel of the greens, adjusting to conditions, and building trust in every stroke.

These are the small details that can shape how a player starts when the pressure kicks in.

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Predicting what will happen to Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson if LIV Golf collapses

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It looks like LIV Golf is over.

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The Saudi Public Investment Fund has reportedly decided that this league simply isn’t worth the hole it’s burning in their pocket, and they’re pulling funds at the end of 2026.

That gives them less than a year to seek new investment. While CEO Scott O’Neil seems confident, it’s going to be extremely difficult to secure funding for a league that is operating at such eye-watering losses.

So this probably pulls the curtain closed on one of the most turbulent, frustrating, confusing, and ridiculous eras in golfing history. Hopefully, we can all return to some reality after the year is over.

But there is still so much uncertainty surrounding golf’s future thanks to this. Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed saw the signs early and jumped ship, but they did that with some leverage. So what on earth is going to happen to the rest of these players who didn’t take the olive branch when it was offered to them?

Feelings will be hurt, and careers will be ended. Let’s take a look.

Jon Rahm rejoins the PGA Tour

Koepka returned to the PGA Tour under the returning member program, which saw him pay $5 million to charity, accept that he’ll receive no FedEx Cup bonus money, and agree he cannot be a sponsor exemption for the 2026 signature events.

 

That same deal was offered to Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau. They didn’t accept it, but a similar offer will likely be handed out to them again.

 

If LIV Golf folds, Rahm will not hold the same leverage as Koepka did, but he is a bigger star at this stage of his career. Make no mistake, the PGA Tour will want him back immediately.

But Rahm does risk leaving himself without any options at all. Reed didn’t come straight back to the PGA Tour, so he’s spending a year on the DP World Tour first. You’d imagine Rahm would consider doing the same, but it might not be so easy for him.

Rahm is in a feud with the DP World Tour, as the only one of eight players to reject a deal which would have seen him retain his full-time membership. If Rahm agreed to play in six DP World Tour events this year, then he could have played on both LIV Golf and the tour. He did not agree.

For now, his membership is at risk. So, will it be possible for him to spend a season on the DP World Tour like Reed? Maybe not. That makes it all the more likely that Rahm will be back on the PGA Tour the moment LIV folds.

Bryson DeChambeau does YouTube full-time

With DeChambeau, I don’t think it’s as much of a done deal that he returns to the PGA Tour. Not immediately anyway.

He’s been negotiating his contract with LIV, which expires at the end of this season. During these negotiations, he’s made it very clear that he is completely willing to step away from full-time competition and be a full-time YouTuber.

DeChambeau’s channel has over two million subscribers, so he could feasibly do that with all of the money he’s making there.

He was annoyed to see LIV move to a four-day format, so he could commit himself fully to being the content king. It would be a wild thing to do, but it’s also exactly the kind of move you could see the two-time major winner making.

He could qualify for The Open Championship and the US Open, and earn enough points there to play The Masters and the PGA Championship. It’s possible.

He does seem to live for competition, so maybe YouTube won’t quite scratch the itch, but it is on the table for DeChambeau. At least for a year until his suspension expires. Out of Rahm and DeChambeau, the American is absolutely the least likely to take a deal.

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