Novak Djokovic was among the first players to arrive at Indian Wells, where he will compete for the first time since 2019, and his presence has already ignited speculation about his fitness.
Djokovic could not travel to the United States in the past few years because he was unvaccinated against COVID-19 and had to miss the Indian Wells Masters for two straight years. But the US authorities lifted the ban on unvaccinated foreign travelers last May.
The Serb has plenty to play for this spring, where he has jetted in earlier than usual to spend quality time with his family during his US tour. He was pictured watching a football game involving Lionel Messi's Inter Miami up against LA Galaxy.
His nine-year-old son Stefan accompanied him during the trip. The 24-time Grand Slam champion then practiced in front of enthusiastic tennis fans at UCLA, where hundreds surrounded him at the end of the session.
In a more recent video shared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Djokovic was practicing while wearing a protective sleeve covering his right elbow. It's not unusual for the World No. 1, who previously wore a protective arm sleeve during this year's Australian Open practice.
Compression or protective sleeves are considered excellent for enhanced athletic performance as they compress the muscles and ensure adequate blood circulation, thereby preventing any soreness from excessive straining.
Djokovic has had elbow problems in the past and had to seek treatment in 2017 when he was forced to shut down his season at Wimbledon. He returned to peak form the following year, winning two Grand Slams, and has gone on to break countless other records.
This year, the five-time Indian Wells champion has been perturbed by a wrist injury he sustained at the United Cup. However, Djokovic recovered from the issue while competing at the Australian Open.