Novak Djokovic cancels Wimbledon practice session before Jannik Sinner clash after injury scare
Novak Djokovic cancelled a Wimbledon practice session ahead of his semi-final with Jannik Sinner amid fears over a possible injury.
The 24-time major champion sparked concern when he slipped and fell to the court in pain on match point of his quarter-final win against Flavio Cobolli.
After losing the point, Djokovic showed his trademark steel as he won the next two points to seal a hard-fought four-set victory against the Italian.
Djokovic first delayed his scheduled Thursday practice session at Wimbledon to 3pm before cancelling it altogether.
This adds to the uncertainty over the 38-year-old tennis legend’s physical state ahead of his blockbuster last four encounter with world No 1 Sinner on Friday.
The decision may have been taken as more of a precaution as it has not been uncommon for Djokovic to rest rather than practise on days before matches in recent years.
In his press conference after beating Cobolli, Djokovic admitted: “It was a nasty fall. It was very awkward.
“Obviously, my body is not the same today like it was before, so I guess the real impact or effect of what happened I will feel tomorrow.
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“I’m hoping the next 24, 48 hours that the severity of what was happening on the court and what happened is not too bad, that I’ll be able to play at my best and free of pain in two days.”
The Serbian also said: “Sometimes I get tired of all the chores that I have to do on a daily basis to get my body ready to be able to perform.
“It’s a lot of hours spent off the court, in the gym or on the table just trying to work with what I have.
“Physically, I hope that I’ll be able to sustain that. That’s more of a concern. I think game-wise, the way I’m feeling the ball when I’m fit and ready, I feel like I can go toe to toe with those guys and even beat them if I’m playing my best.”
Djokovic will surely need to be at the peak of his powers physically to have a chance against Sinner in the semi-finals.
The seven-time Wimbledon winner has lost his last four matches against the Italian star, although he won their two clashes at the grass-court major: in 2022 and 2023.
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