(Video) Novak Djokovic Raises Australian Open Concerns After Abruptly Ending Practice

Novak Djokovic played a practice set against Daniil Medvedev, losing it 7-5.

(Video) Novak Djokovic Raises Australian Open Concerns After Abruptly Ending Practice

Novak Djokovic (via TNT Sports)

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It feels like a script the fans have all read before. The Australian Open is days away, the heat is rising in Melbourne, and the undisputed king of the court is dealing with a physical setback. Novak Djokovic‘s Australian Open fitness concerns are officially the talk of the town.

The Serb’s dramatic practice session left fans and pundits wondering if the 10-time champion has enough left in the tank for one more run at history. Djokovic had notably already skipped the Brisbane International as he didn’t feel physically fit.

The alarm bells started ringing on the evening of January 13, 2026. Djokovic, who had already completed a standard session at Rod Laver Arena earlier in the day, stepped onto Court 10 for a secondary practice. It didn’t last long.

After just 12 minutes, the session was over. Djokovic spent the majority of that short window receiving heavy treatment on his neck from his trainer. Witnesses described visible discomfort—the kind of grimacing his fanbase doesn’t want to see from the 38-year-old days before a Grand Slam. When the trainer applied deep pressure to relieve the pain, and it didn’t seem to work, Djokovic pulled the pin. He packed his bag and left.

A Training Session With Daniil Medvedev

Initially, Novak Djokovic played a practice set against Daniil Medvedev. The duo famously played in the Australian Open 2021 final.

Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev
Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev (Image via X/TNT Sports, The Tennis Letter)

He lost that set 5-7, but the scoreline is irrelevant. The fact that he was out there competing against a top-tier rival like Medvedev is the real headline. It suggests that while the neck is definitely bothering him, it isn’t debilitating enough to keep him bedridden. He was moving, hitting, and testing his limits.

However, losing a practice set and enduring a grueling five-set marathon in the Australian heat are two very different beasts. The question isn’t whether he can play; it’s whether he can sustain his level for two weeks. Djokovic has emphasized the importance of building himself up to challenge the younger generation, but this abrupt ending of a practice session has attracted dark clouds on him once again.

Meanwhile, attention is directed towards the one-point slam at the Australian Open, for which the draws were made on January 14th. It features a sudden-death format, where the winner of the point wins the match.

Déjà Vu Down Under For Novak Djokovic

Long-time tennis fans know that Melbourne Park is often the site of Novak Djokovic‘s most miraculous recoveries. They have seen him win this tournament with a tear in his abdominal muscle. They have seen him dominate while managing a hamstring injury that would have sidelined half the tour.

Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev (3)
Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev (Images via AUSOpen/X)

However, there are also negative aspects to the injuries. In 2009, the Serb retired from his quarterfinal match against Andy Roddick due to being unable to tolerate the heat in Australia.

In 2018, Djokovic was recovering from shoulder surgery but still wasn’t 100% during the Australian Open. He lost in the fourth round to Chung Hyeon.

Last year, he sustained an injury in the quarterfinal against Carlos Alcaraz. Despite enduring the pain, he couldn’t manage it with painkillers during the semifinal against Alexander Zverev. Eventually, he had to retire after losing the first set.

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