‘Not physically ready’ – Djokovic out of Adelaide

Novak Djokovic has decided to withdraw from the Australian Open warm-up match because he is “not quite physically ready to compete.”

The 38-year-old Serb legend was scheduled to perform at the Adelaide International next week as he prepares to defend his most recent bid for a 25th Grand Slam singles record.

Djokovic has won ten of his 24 majors at the Australian Open, but his semi-final defeat came in the process.

In an effort to be brand-new for the Grand Slams, he has recently cut down on his playing time.

Djokovic wrote on Instagram, “I was really excited about returning because it felt like playing at home.”

Djokovic, the fourth-ranked player, was one of the Slam winners last year, but he hasn’t won a major since the US Open in 2023.

He lost to Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open and Jannik Sinner at the French Open, making it to the semi-finals of all four of his matches.

After his last four meetings against Alexander Zverev in Melbourne in January, he was forced to withdraw due to injury.

Djokovic’s overall tally now stands at 101, including two ATP Tour victories from last year.

Three-time Australian Open champion Daniil Medvedev requested that the tournament move its night session matches a few days prior.

Two matches are scheduled for Rod Laver Arena and Margaret Court Arena, with one starting at 19:00 local time.

Djokovic and Andy Murray have previously discussed late Melbourne finishes, with Murray calling his 2023 05-a-minute performance a “farce.”

Medvedev, who was defeated by Learner Tien in a match that ended at 2:55 a.m. local time, claimed he was “happy” to play in the night sessions but that it would be “better for everyone” due to scheduling changes.

“I enjoy soccer, but here in Australia, I don’t watch the Premier League because it’s two in the morning,” he said.

People who really enjoy tennis would prefer to watch it at age six because they are almost certain to watch both matches afterward.