FOR 18 months, Novak Djokovic played through a right-elbow injury until the pain forced him out of his quarterfinal match at Wimbledon two weeks ago. Now, because of the injury, Djokovic will miss a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since he began competing in them in 2005.
Djokovic, the winner of 12 major tournaments, announced on Wednesday at a news conference in Belgrade, Serbia, that he will skip the US Open and the rest of the 2017 season to rest his sore elbow.
“All the doctors I’ve consulted, and all the specialists I have visited in Serbia and all over the world, have agreed that this injury requires rest,” Djokovic said. “A prolonged break from the sport is inevitable. I’ll do whatever it takes to recover.”
Djokovic has been hindered by a bruised bone in his elbow from excessive playing, one of his physicians, Zdenko Milinkovic, said in an interview in Serbia on Tuesday. Djokovic, 30, said at Wimbledon that the elbow had bothered him to varying degrees over the past year and a half, which may be the simplest explanation for his slide from the dominant perch he previously occupied in men’s tennis.
Djokovic spent more than two years at No. 1, from July 7, 2014, until October 31, 2016, and won four straight Grand Slam events, and five out of six, culminating in the 2016 French Open. Since then, he has failed to win another Grand Slam title, and speculation has swirled that poor focus, personal problems or a lack of passion were the reasons for his slump.
Djokovic did not blame his elbow, but he lost the top ranking to Andy Murray last November. Djokovic’s drop in form has allowed Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal back into the top of the men’s tennis pyramid. Djokovic is ranked fourth, but when the new rankings are released on Monday, he will drop to No. 5, his lowest ranking in 10 years.
Another beneficiary of Djokovic’s absence could be Stan Wawrinka, who defeated Djokovic in the final at last year’s US Open. Wawrinka will move up to No. 4, a key spot for tournament seeding because he would not have to face any of the top 3 until at least the semifinals.
Djokovic did not reveal the extent of his injury until he retired from his Wimbledon quarterfinal against Tomas Berdych. Afterward, Djokovic said, “The more I play, the worse it gets.”
He said the pain initially flared when he served, but he began to feel it on forehands, too. The last ball he hit against Berdych was a forehand in the second set. Djokovic winced, grabbed his elbow and went to the net to notify Berdych he could not continue.
On the same day, Murray hobbled through his loss to Sam Querrey with a sore hip, raising questions about his availability for the US Open. But Murray has posted a video that showed him hitting a ball off a wall, suggesting he will be available.
Djokovic said he intended to come back in time for the Australian Open in January, a scheduling precedent established by Federer, the soon-to-be 36-year-old who has won the last two major tournaments he has entered. While Djokovic was striking balls with pain, Federer rested in the second half of 2016 to help recuperate from knee problems, and then won the Australian Open, as well as high-profile tournaments in Indian Wells, California, and Key Biscayne, Florida. He skipped the clay-court season to rest further before winning on grass in Halle, Germany, and at Wimbledon.
It is a tantalizing model for Djokovic.
“I will use the upcoming period to strengthen my body,” he said, “and also to improve certain tennis elements that I have not been able to work on over the past years due to a demanding schedule.”
When he returns, Djokovic will continue to employ André Agassi as his coach. Djokovic said Agassi had also advised him through the medical process, even traveling with him to Toronto to see elbow specialists.
Djokovic hired Agassi, a former No. 1 player and eight-time major champion, after firing his previous team in May in an effort to regain his top form. He referred to the shake-up as “shock therapy”. Agassi worked briefly with Djokovic at the French Open and remained by his side during his run at Wimbledon.
“He supports my decision to take a break, and remains my head coach,” Djokovic said. “He is going to help me get back into shape and bounce back strong after the recovery period.”
Djokovic’s wife, Jelena, is expecting their second child, a development that will occupy his time during his layoff.
“These are things that fill me with greatest happiness and delight,” Djokovic said. “I’m confident I will be ready for the start of the new season.”
Image credits: AP