Novak Djokovic wrist injury scare ahead of Australian Open

• Novak Djokovic wrist injury scare has fans in limbo
• Djokovic still doesn’t know the extent of the injury
• He is positive that he will recover before the Australian Open

Novak Djokovic wrist injury scare days to the start of the 2024 Australian Open has left his fanbase in endless worry.

Djokovic still doesn’t know the extent of the injury yet but he is hopeful that he can successfully defend his title in Melbourne.

He struggled with a right wrist injury which hindered his performance at the United Cup in Perth against Alex de Minaur.

De Minaur beat the world No. 1 in straight sets. In his quest for an unprecedented 11th men’s Australian Open singles title, Djokovic suffered a setback, losing 6-4, 6-4 to the 12th-ranked player in the world, De Minaur.

This defeat contributed to Australia’s 2-0 victory over Serbia in the quarter-final of the mixed team event.

He congratulated the Australian player praising his game play which he described as solid and deserving of victory.

“Congrats to De Minaur, he was very solid from the beginning, just played a great match and deserved to win,” Djokovic remarked in a post-match interview.

Novak Djokovic Wrist Injury

Novak Djokovic. Photo/beINSports

Djokovic has battled wrist issues throughout his career, with flare-ups impacting his performance at crucial moments. The recent discomfort, evident in his defeat to de Minaur, echoes past episodes in 2017 and 2018 that derailed his Australian Open campaign.

While the Serb remains optimistic about his recovery, the clock ticks relentlessly. The Melbourne event begins in just two weeks, leaving little room for error.

Fans and pundits alike are left in anxious anticipation, questioning whether Djokovic can conquer his recurring rival this time around

He admitted to not being at his best level of play and his opponent gave him a good run.

“I was not at my level, but it was just one of these days where you didn’t feel your best on the court and your opponent played very well, that’s all I can say.”

However, he is taking time to work on the injury before the first Grand Slam of the year starts. Defending his success is the only thing that matters so much to him.

His focus is improving his serve and forehand which he could do well because of pain from his right wrist.

“I have enough time to get myself in the right shape for the Australian Open and that’s what matters the most at this point. I think I’ll be OK, to be honest, but it did have quite an impact, particularly on the forehand and serve,” he added.

Australian Open

With less than two weeks remaining, Djokovic faces a tight timeline to prepare his arm for the defence of his Australian Open title.

His scheduled appearance at an opening night event before the tournament is expected to be under heightened scrutiny.

He says this amount of pressure gets to him which is why he is razor-focused on healing soon and continuing his legacy.

Novak Djokovic during a tennis match. Photo/Sky Sports

The Serbian tennis sensation will be the main attraction at Melbourne Park’s ‘A Night with Novak & Friends‘ event on January 11.

He will participate in a playful game with other players and celebrities. Everybody’s going to be watching Djokovic, especially to see how his arm holds up during this exciting event.

If he had to withdraw from the tournament due to unforeseen circumstances, it would cast serious doubt on his fitness to play in best-of-five-set matches at the Australian Open a few days later.

Playing at the Australian Open meant so much to Djokovic following his tiff with the tournament officials in 2022.

His refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19 brewed into a tennis controversy of the year ending in his deportation. Rafael Nadal won the tournament in his first comeback to the court after months of recovering from an injury.

Djokovic did not back to the vaccination pressure and he lost so much in prize money because he couldn’t play much in 2022.

Most Grand Slam events, ATP Masters 1000 and Masters 500 had a strict requirement that all participating players be vaccinated against COVID-19.