Novak Djokovic insisted Wednesday that he still has the hunger to regain his status as the best player in the world, but did not rule out taking a break from the sport.
The 30-year-old crashed out of the French Open where he was the defending champion in a stunning 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-0 quarterfinal loss to Dominic Thiem.
Djokovic hinted he may step back from the sport to regroup even with Wimbledon fast approaching.
"Trust me, I'm thinking about many things, especially in the last couple months," he said. "At the same time, I have responsibility to the game itself, towards others. Obviously it's not an easy decision to make, but I will see how I feel."
The defeat was Djokovic's first straight-sets loss at a major in four years and comes just 12 months after he completed the career Grand Slam in Paris.
Wednesday saw him suffer a first 6-0 'bagel' at a Slam since the 2005 US Open while the defeat will see him slip out of the world's top two for the first time in six years.
"All the top players go through this. I have to get through it and learn the lessons and come back stronger. It's a big challenge but I am up for it," said Djokovic.
Published 07 June 2017, 19:38 IST