Novak Djokovic Warned His Nagging Health Problems Could ‘Stain His Legacy’

Novak Djokovic will compete at the China Open, scheduled to start on September 30. It will be his first tournament since the US Open, where he battled illness during the first round before eventually losing in five sets to Mariano Navone.

Whatever problem the Serb is facing is not new, as it bothered him last year as well. The health problem was exacerbated by hot, humid conditions, which is why he also struggled in the opening round of the Cincinnati Masters before losing the match.

At the US Open, Djokovic was seen vomiting into the dustbin, and he also broke down in tears toward the end of the match. If the issue persists over the next few years, it could ruin his legacy, believes Hall of Fame journalist Steve Flink.

I am concerned because he had the same stomach bout going in Cincinnati. It’s happened a bunch of times in the past year. If you’re constantly dealing with the stomach and getting sick on the court, and you’ve got ailments with your shoulder and back… he did enter Beijing, so I guess it’s not too serious at the moment.

Steve Flink said on Gill Gross’ YouTube channel

The US Open exit marked his third first-round defeat in Majors in his career. In Paris, too, his run ended in the early rounds as he squandered a 2-0 lead against Joao Fonseca in the third round.

It worries me, and it sounds odd to say this, but I don’t want him to go too easy on himself and say, ‘It’s okay, I can play a couple more years like that, it doesn’t matter.’ He is going to hate it if that becomes a pattern. Do I think it will? Not necessarily, but if there’s any replication of that in the next couple of years, I think he’d have to be really concerned. He knows better than us, and he won’t stain his legacy by any means, but I think he has a certain standard too.

Steve Flink added

At the Australian Open and Wimbledon, Nole made deep runs. He lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the former event and to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of the latter event.

David Ferrer on Novak Djokovic’s future

During an interview with CLAY, David Ferrer, Spain’s Davis Cup captain, discussed Novak Djokovic‘s career. He echoed the thoughts of many that it’s only becoming difficult for him to produce his best tennis consistently. Although Djokovic still produces a high level of tennis in the Majors, Ferrer said his career will eventually end, stating only the obvious.

He is achieving different results from what he is used to, and we will see how he finishes the season and starts the next one. Every year it becomes more difficult and complicated for him, then everyone has their own challenges. But in the end, every sportsman has an expiration date, which no one can escape.

In the China Open, Djokovic has won six titles (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015). He holds a perfect 29-0 win-loss record.

Jannik Sinner will enter the tournament as the defending champion. It will be his first tournament since Wimbledon, where he defeated Alexander Zverev to defend his crown. He missed the US Open due to a knee injury. In Beijing last year, the five-time Grand Slam champion defeated Learner Tien.

Zverev will also compete in the Chinese capital, but Carlos Alcaraz will be in London for the Laver Cup. After the team event, he will head toward Tokyo for the Japan Open.

Also read: Patrick Mouratoglou Tells Aryna Sabalenka What Is ‘Preventing’ Her From Winning More Grand Slam Titles