Novak Djokovic Unsure About Madrid Open Participation Due to Physical Problems

Novak Djokovic was last seen in action in the fourth round of this year’s Indian Wells. After his defeat to Jack Draper, the Serb skipped the Miami Open as well as the Monte-Carlo Masters.

He is planning to return to Madrid for the fourth Masters 1000 of the season, but it is now uncertain. Madrid Open, scheduled to start on April 20, is one of the last tournaments that’s held before the ultimate clay-court event, the Roland Garros.

Djokovic attended a EuroLeague basketball game in Madrid and gave an interview to broadcaster Movistar+, saying that an injury could force him to skip the Madrid Open.

I hope to compete here. ⁠I’m working towards that… I don’t (know), I’m not sure. I have been struggling physically a little bit with an injury, so I’m trying to address that and play as long as ‌I can. Now I have a little bit more ​time, not playing as much, so I get a chance to enjoy ⁠other sports and great athleticism.

The 38-year-old is a three-time champion in Madrid, last winning in 2019. But since then, he has competed in the event only twice, including last year. He suffered a straight-set defeat at the hands of Matteo Arnaldi in the opening round.

Djokovic, the winner of 21 clay-court titles, last won a Masters 1000 title at the 2023 Paris Masters, and since then, he has reached just two finals at this level: in Shanghai in 2024 and in Miami last year, losing them to Jannik Sinner and Jakub Mensik, respectively.

Apart from the 24-time Grand Slam champion, this year’s Madrid Open could see the withdrawal of Sinner as well as Carlos Alcaraz. Sinner wants to give his body some rest after three back-to-back victories at the Indian Wells Masters, Miami Open, and the Monte-Carlo Masters. Alcaraz suffered a wrist injury during the Barcelona Open, which forced him to withdraw from his second match.

James Blake on the four players he would put on Mount Rushmore

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer are considered the greatest players of all time in tennis. But when former ATP player from America, James Blake, was asked to pick the four tennis players he would put on Mount Rushmore, he chose the Big 3, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Pete Sampras.

Yeah, he’s the GOAT. I mean, he’s got every accolade you could imagine. He’s got more weeks number one, more Grand Slams, more Masters 1000s. He’s done it all. And absolutely, he’s the GOAT. So he’s, of course, on the Mount Rushmore. And you got to put the, you pretty much have to put the big three up there, Roger Rafa, Novak is the three up there.

James Blake said during his interview with The Tennis Gazette

Djokovic has not yet won a Grand Slam title since the 2023 US Open. But since then, he has now played two Major finals: at the 2024 Wimbledon and this year’s Australian Open. It was Alcaraz who stopped him from ending his Major title drought in the Melbourne Slam.

And so it’s just a matter of who’s the fourth. And you have two guys right now that are competing to be that fourth, and they might be by the end of their careers in Sinner and Alcaraz. But if I had to put one more up there, I’m probably going to take Pete.

James Blake added

But before his defeat to the seven-time Major champion, the Serb defeated Sinner in the semifinals in five sets. The last time Djokovic won a Big Title was at the 2024 Paris Olympics by defeating Alcaraz.

Also read: Boris Becker Sends ‘Unique’ Novak Djokovic Grand Slam Warning to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz

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