Novak Djokovic reveals how long he expects to be sidelined after Wimbledon injury blow
Novak Djokovic has revealed when he expects to return to his “optimal level” physically after the injury that hampered him in his Wimbledon semi-final loss to Jannik Sinner.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion was well below his best in his 3-6, 3-6, 4-6 loss to world No 1 Sinner on Centre Court.
Djokovic appeared flat from the start and grimaced in discomfort between points as he noticeably struggled with his movement — an issue that got worse as the match progressed.
The Serbian was unable to compete with an excellent and ruthless Sinner in the first two sets as he was broken three times and failed to get to deuce on the Italian’s serve.
While Djokovic rallied to a take 3-0, 40-30 lead in the third set, it was only a temporary reprieve before he lost six of the last seven games.
The 38-year-old has not shared details of the specific nature of his injury, but it seems the issue arose when he slipped and fell in pain on match point of his quarter-final match against Flavio Cobolli.
Speaking in his Serbian press conference, Djokovic identified the moment he felt “a worsening of the condition” he was struggling with against Sinner.
“I never really thought about not stepping onto the court at all. I didn’t have that bad of a feeling, in the sense that I couldn’t stand on my leg,” Djokovic was quoted as saying by Clay Tenis and RG Media.
“I couldn’t practise yesterday, but during warm-up it felt pretty good, all things considered. There was uncertainty about how my leg would respond. I played more from a static position, didn’t move around too much in the warm-up.
“But already by the middle of the first set, there were a few more aggressive movements — especially toward my forehand side — where I had to push off. That’s when I felt a worsening of the condition. Actually, the first six or seven games were okay, but after that, it wasn’t.”
The world No 6 added: “I don’t believe this will keep me off the court for too long.
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“Unfortunately, I’ve had similar injuries recently and I managed to come back relatively quickly.
“I think I can get myself to an optimal level for the US Open, to be able to play at the highest level.”
This was the latest injury for Djokovic at a Grand Slam after he was forced to retire from his Australian Open semi-final against Alexander Zverev in January with a hamstring issue.
The Serbian was also forced out of the 2024 French Open due to a meniscus tear that subsequently affected his ability to compete at his best at Wimbledon the following month.
Despite these untimely blows, Djokovic said: “I don’t think it’s bad fortune. It’s just age, the wear and tear of the body. As much as I’m taking care of it, the reality hits me right now, last year and a half, like never before, to be honest.
“It’s tough for me to accept that because I feel like when I’m fresh, when I’m fit, I can still play really good tennis. I’ve proven that this year.
“But yeah, I guess playing best-of-five, particularly this year, has been a real struggle for me physically. The longer the tournament goes, yeah, the worse the condition gets.
“I reach the final stages, I reach the semis of every Slam this year, but I have to play Sinner or [Carlos] Alcaraz. These guys are fit, young, sharp. I feel like I’m going into the match with tank half empty. It’s just not possible to win a match like that.
“It is what it is, you know? It’s one of these things I accept and embrace in some way, deal with the reality the way it is, and try to make the most out of it, I guess.”
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