After abruptly pulling out of the Australian Open due to a hamstring injury, tennis superstar Novak Djokovic is once again facing health concerns. Djokovic, who has triumphed at Grand Slam tournaments 24 times and has been crowned Australian Open champion 10 times, was forced to withdraw from a critical semi-final round against Alexander Zverev because of persistent leg pain. His swift recovery allowed him to return to the Qatar Open, but the future of his 2025 season is now under a cloud of uncertainty.
Earlier this week, Djokovic returned to the court for his third ATP event of the season in Doha. His comeback was short-lived, however, as he was defeated in the first round by Italy’s Matteo Berrettini, currently ranked 35th in the world. Berrettini scored an impressive victory with a 7-6 (4), 6-2 result. The silver lining was that Djokovic seemed to suffer no further injuries during the match, yet concerns were raised when he was seen limping at Doha’s Hamad International Airport on February 21.
This unsettling development comes just days after his loss against Berrettini. It casts a shadow over his future participation in ATP events and brings back memories of his 2018 season which was marred by injuries. That year, Djokovic had a rough start, losing to South Korea’s Chung Hyeon at the Australian Open. He subsequently underwent elbow surgery in Switzerland, forcing him to miss several events.
Upon his return to competition, his performance was less than stellar. Japanese player Taro Daniel, then a qualifier, delivered Djokovic a shocking defeat at the Indian Wells Masters in March 2018. Following the loss, Djokovic expressed his frustration, not so much at his defeat, but at his physical struggles. He was quoted as saying, “I was not even supposed to be here because of the surgery that was only five, six weeks ago. But I recovered very quickly, and I got myself ready.”
Despite the setbacks, Djokovic demonstrated an unwavering resolve, insisting that every situation has something positive in it. He has always been known to bounce back stronger, and fans are hoping the current situation will be no different.
The tennis world now waits with bated breath for updates on Djokovic’s condition and his future participation in 2025. His journey will undoubtedly be closely watched, as the narrative of one of tennis’s greatest players continues to unfold.
