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BELGRADE. — Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic will have to miss the remainder of the 2017 season due to his right elbow injury that forced him to withdraw from Wimbledon.
The 12-time major champion was forced to retire injured during his quarter-final against Tomas Berdych at the All England Club earlier this month and said after the match he had been feeling pain in his right elbow for over a year and a half.
He has since been seeking advice from specialists who have advised the Serbian that rest and some time away from the game is now the best course of action..
The world No. 4 made the announcement at a Press conference in Belgrade yesterday, when he explained that he is forced to take a break from playing and skip all tournaments until the end of the season, including the US Open, the Asian swing, indoor Masters events and the Davis Cup semi-final tie.
Aiming to return to full health, Novak will give his elbow and body the proper time to recover to come back strong and in the best shape in 2018.
“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. A prolonged break from the sport is inevitable. I’ll do whatever it takes to recover.
“I will use the upcoming period to strengthen my body 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. Five months may seem long from this point, but I’m sure they will pass quickly because there is so much I want to do.
“Another important moment is coming, we will become parents for a second time. My wife Jelena and I are expecting our second child, and we are preparing to welcome a new family member. These are things that fill me with greatest happiness and delight. I’m confident I will be ready for start of the new season,” Djokovic said.
The 12-time Grand Slam champion is set to return to tour-level competition at the beginning of the next season, planning on playing a warm-up event ahead of the 2018 Australian Open.
“It is the most important for me to recover, to be able to play injury free for as long as possible, to compete in the sport that has given me so much, the sport I love. Of course I want to return to the winning form, to win again, to win the trophies. But now it is not the time to talk about it. At this point, I’m focusing on recovery.”
In the past weeks, Novak was doing different checks and consultations, getting opinions from respectable doctors, and everyone said that a break from playing was necessary. — Reuters.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter