Novak Djokovic has confirmed to fans that he will not be attending the Madrid Open due to injury concerns.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has played only two tournaments this year, the Australian Open and Indiana Wells, raising questions about his health ahead of the French Open starting in Paris in about a month.
The Spanish basketball player is still dealing with injury problems that forced him to miss recent tournaments in Miami and Monte Carlo and said Friday he will not participate in next week’s Madrid Open, one of the last stops before the French Open.
“Madrid, unfortunately I will not be able to compete this year. I am continuing my recovery to return soon,” Djokovic, who is struggling with a shoulder problem, wrote in a post on Twitter.
The 38-year-old Serb lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final in February and lost to Jack Draper in the fourth round of Indian Wells last month before pulling out of the Miami Open due to a right shoulder injury.
Battling injury He told Spanish broadcaster Movistar+ at a EuroLeague basketball game in Madrid on Thursday that he was “physically struggling a bit with the injury” but was optimistic about his participation in the tournament.
As reported, Djokovic lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final in February and withdrew from the Doha Open later that month due to fatigue.
He was defeated by Jack Draper in the fourth round of Indian Wells in March, before missing the Miami Open that same month due to a right shoulder injury.
The former world No. 1 skipped last week’s Monte Carlo Masters before arriving in Spain to begin preparations for the Madrid Open from April 22 to May 3.
Notably, the draw for the Madrid Open, where Djokovic is a three-time champion, will be made on Monday.
Additionally, Djokovic is scheduled to compete at the Italian Open (May 6 to 17) in Rome before attempting to pursue a record 25th Grand Slam title at the French Open beginning on May 24.
