Novak Djokovic made a surprise decision to play doubles at the Cincinnati Masters next week, and he learned the fate of his draw on Friday.
After taking almost a month off, Djokovic will play for the first time since his Wimbledon final defeat in mid-July, on Monday when he will be in doubles action at the Cincinnati Masters. He entered the singles and doubles draw which will serve as his sole preparatory tournament for the US Open.
Djokovic will partner fellow Serb Nikola Cacic to take on the experienced doubles pair of Jamie Murray and Michael Venus. It's certainly a case of baptism by fire for Djokovic, who is playing doubles for the first time since Adelaide, at the start of the 2023 season.
Former British No. 1 Murray and American Venus have won three titles as a team this season and reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. In the unlikely scenario, Djokovic and Cacic defy the odds, they will face the top seeds and the current doubles No. 1 players Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhof in the second round.
While Djokovic's unexpected doubles participation is widely viewed as a way to refine his game and get some match sharpness, it could be a strategic move to build his confidence and elevate his doubles game for upcoming team competitions.
Djokovic confirmed that he will play at the upcoming Davis Cup Qualifiers for his country in September, and playing there would enable him to meet the qualifying scale for the Paris Olympic Games next year where he will be seeking his first gold medal at both singles and doubles event.
While primarily a successful singles operator, Djokovic has won one title in doubles in his storied career at the 2010 Queen's Championships alongside Jonathan Elrich. The Serbian star will play his first singles match in Cincinnati on Wednesday against the winner of the match between Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
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