Djokovic Jokes That He’s Challenging Serena Williams to Come Back to Tennis

Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, celebrates after defeating Learner Tien, of the United States, during the first-round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, on Aug. 24, 2025, in New York. Frank Franklin II/AP Photo

NEW YORK—Novak Djokovic thinks he came up with a way to get Serena Williams back on the tennis tour: Dare her to do it.

A night after Williams stunned the tennis world by showing up to help induct rival Maria Sharapova into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Djokovic said he thought that was “a beautiful moment.”