Novak Djokovic's brother provides worrying fitness update for rest of season
NewsFriday, 24 October 2025 at 14:33
Novak Djokovic's participation at upcoming tournaments cannot be guaranteed, but his brother, Djordje, hopes he will appear at the 2025 Athens Open.
Djokovic withdrew from next week's 2025 Paris Masters. Despite being a seven-time winner of the event, that decision was expected. He also did not compete at the final Masters 1000 of the season last year.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has been struggling with physical issues throughout the year. On several occasions, Djokovic struggled to finish a match because of an injury, or feeling broader aches and pains built up from previous rounds.
That occurred again at his last two tournaments. He was hampered in his 3-6, 4-6 defeat to Valentin Vacherot in the 2025 Shanghai Masters semifinal, even though Djokovic did not want to take any credit away from the eventual champion afterward.
The 38-year-old then retired after the opening set of his 2025 Six Kings Slam match against Taylor Fritz. His withdrawal from the Paris Masters raised doubts about whether he will play again in 2026.
Djokovic's family owns the Athens Open, which is scheduled from November 2nd to 8th. It was held in Belgrade until the former world ATP world No. 1 and the tournament moved to Athens, reportedly because of tensions with the Serbian government.
Djordje, one of those chiefly responsible for organizing the event, spoke about his brother's fitness in a press conference. Although he feels better than before, Djokovic's involvement in Athens is uncertain for now.
"He withdrew from Paris, but he is working hard to recover. He has specific problems that worsened in Shanghai. He feels good now, he is doing everything in his power to be in the best possible condition and play in Athens."
Despite being an ATP 250 tournament, Djokovic's residence in Athens makes him determined to play at the tournament. Djordje thinks his brother's well-known recovery skills give him some hope of being fit.
"He has said how important it is for him to play in this competition, in front of the Greek fans. He is a mastermind when it comes to preparation and recovery, and that is why he is the best."
The 2025 ATP Finals are scheduled immediately after the Athens Open. Despite being one of the most significant tournaments worldwide, Djokovic did not play in Turin last year, and his involvement for the 2025 edition cannot be guaranteed.
Several players have already ended their seasons
Jack Draper's career-best year was cut short by an arm injury. The Briton withdrew before the US Open second round before announcing he would not play again in 2025 to allow him to recover from that problem.
Holger Rune's season ended after a horrific moment at the 2025 Stockholm Open. He suddenly pulled up in the semifinal against Ugo Humbert with an Achilles injury. The Dane had surgery and could be out for 12 months or more.
Frances Tiafoe chose to finish 2025 early without suffering from an injury. The two-time US Open semifinalist had an underwhelming season and announced his split from David Witt, who used to coach Venus Williams and Jessica Pegula.
WTA players who ended their seasons prematurely include Elina Svitolina, Daria Kasatkina, and Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Popular News
Just In
Loading