Novak Djokovic Recovers From Injury Earlier Than Expected, Set To Play In Doha
News
Novak Djokovic is recovering from an injury issue, but a report from a Serbian publication states he has made a decision about competing at the 2025 Qatar Open.
Djokovic tore a muscle in his left hamstring at the 2025 Australian Open. He tried to compete with that problem but retired after losing the first set of his semifinal against Alexander Zverev because of the pain caused by the issue.
There had been conflicting reports about his health since that point. ESPN analyst Chris Fowler initially expected him to be out for a few months and thought being back for the 2025 French Open would be the goal.
However, a report from Sportal a few days later said Djokovic hoped to be fit for the Qatar Open because the muscle tear was not as bad as when he had a similar issue two years ago, sustained at the 2023 Australian Open.
If the report is accurate, Sportal has now done another report with more good news for Djokovic fans. It states that the Serbian will travel to Doha next week to get himself acclimatized to the conditions for the Qatar Open.
It claims that Djokovic has not started training yet, but his intention to travel to Doha clearly indicates that he intends to play at the Qatar Open, which starts on February 17th and has been upgraded to a 500-level event this year.
Sportal's article also made two claims about Djokovic's team for the tournament. His former rival Andy Murray coached him at the Australian Open, and the pair seemed to establish a good and healthy rapport.
Neither Djokovic nor Murray could confirm after the season's opening Grand Slam whether they would continue working together, and Sportal's report says that situation remains ongoing and is unresolved.
It would be surprising if Murray traveled with Djokovic, even if he intended to stay on the Serbian's team. Many viewed the Briton's appointment as related to the Grand Slams and possibly Masters 1000 tournaments, not 500-level events.
That was demonstrated by Murray not traveling with Djokovic for the 2025 Brisbane International that occurred before the Australian Open. He went skiing with his family instead of joining him.
However, Sportal is more confident about another member of Djokovic's team. It says that Claudio Climalja will be his physio for the tournament because he covers events outside the Grand Slams and Masters 1000s, which are reserved for Milijan Amanovic.
If the report is accurate, this news would significantly boost the tournament. It would mean Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Djokovic would compete at the same ATP 500 event, which may never happen again.
Djokovic has been successful at the Qatar Open in the past. It used to be an ATP 250 tournament held during the opening week of the season before it was moved to later in the season to be played the week before the Dubai Championships.
This year's Qatar Open has the potential to be the best in the tournament's history. Hopefully, it will live up to the hype and deliver a great experience for fans.
