Novak Djokovic withdrew from the Australian Open conditioning event in Adelaide on Monday, saying he was not able to return to competitors forward of the 12 months’s first Grand Slam event.
“Expensive Adelaide followers, sadly I’m not but bodily able to compete on the Adelaide Worldwide subsequent week,” Djokovic wrote on social media. “Personally, it is very disappointing as a result of I’ve nice reminiscences of successful the title there two years in the past. I used to be actually excited to be again as a result of it actually felt like I used to be enjoying at dwelling.”
The 38-year-old Djokovic, who has gained a report 24 majors in males’s singles, has not performed a aggressive match in practically two months. He defeated Lorenzo Musetti within the Greek Championship closing in Athens on November 8, however introduced he would withdraw from the ATP Finals for the second 12 months in a row, citing a shoulder damage.
“Proper now I’m targeted on making ready for the Australian Open,” Djokovic wrote on Monday. “I look ahead to arriving in Melbourne quickly and assembly all of the Australian tennis followers.”
Fundamental draw matches at Melbourne Park start on January 18th.
Djokovic has gained the hard-court main event that kicks off the Grand Slam season a complete of 10 occasions, together with most just lately in 2023.
He has misplaced within the semifinals in every of the previous two years, and in 2025, he was compelled to cease enjoying after the primary set on account of a torn hamstring muscle towards Alexander Zverev.
Djokovic reached the semifinals of all 4 main tournaments final season.
He’ll begin this season fourth within the standings behind Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Zverev.
Djokovic’s withdrawal from the Adelaide event got here a day after he introduced he was severing ties with the Skilled Tennis Gamers Affiliation. He co-founded the Skilled Tennis Gamers Affiliation, which sued the game’s governing physique final 12 months to get more cash and affect for athletes.
