Following Novak Djokovic‘s shocking and painful exit from 2025 Australian Open, fans were concerned for his recovery. The 24-time Major winner and former World No.1 had to put a full stop to his campaign down under last month. In the semifinal, against Alexander Zverev, Djoker stunned the tennis community when he opted to retire. His persistent hamstring injury, sustained in the QF round of the event, didn’t allow him to continue anymore. It’s been two weeks since he was last seen with a racket on the court. But now it appears the good news has arrived for his avid followers, waiting for a return.
For the unversed, Djokovic suffered from a major injury during his quarterfinal match against Carlos Alacaraz. He was forced to take a medical time-out (MTO) in the opening set due to pain in his hamstring. He was hardly able to move on the court. While the treatment did help him, as he eventually won the match and advanced to the semis, the injury woes didn’t end there. They resurfaced in the SF stage when the 10-time AO king was 6-7 down against Zverev. Realizing he wouldn’t be able to play with so much pain, he walked over.
According to a latest report, Djokovic is set to travel to Doha next week. But what for? Well, it’s been revealed he will be there to adjust to the weather conditions. Does it mean it the 37-year-old tennis GOAT has recovered from his injury and will participate in the Qatar ExxonMobil Open?
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Well the answer appears to be yes, per Sportal. Currently, Djokovic’s in Belgrade and is yet to begin training. After returning from Melbourne, it’s reported that he had a thorough overview of his condition. He received adequate treatment and therapies in order to get fit to compete. That’s an interesting development. But why so? Previously, he didn’t seem so sure of a quick return soon after leaving Australia.
The uncertainty over Novak Djokovic’s tennis future
During the post-match conference, following his unexpected exit down under, Novak Djokovic suggested that it might not be easy for him to continue playing for long. When asked about a possibility of returning to Australia for 2026 season, he said, “I don’t know if there is a chance. Who knows? I’ll just have to see how the season goes and you know I want to keep going but whether I’m going to have a revised schedule or not for the next year, I’m not sure.” He implied that “If I’m fit, healthy, motivated I don’t see a reason why I wouldn’t come, you know. But there’s always a chance.”
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Moreover, he shared a concerning update on the intensity of his injury. “I didn’t hit a ball since (the) Alcaraz match, so until like an hour before today’s match. I did everything I possibly can to basically manage the muscle tear that I had. Medications and, I guess, the strap, and the physio work helped to some extent today. But yeah, towards the end of that first set, I just started feeling more and more pain. It was too much, I guess, to handle for me at the moment. Unfortunate ending, but I tried.”
But now it’s been revealed that he might compete in Doha in the next few days. While his hardcore fans are waiting to see him back on the court, they will want him to get fully fit as well. What are your thoughts on Djoker’s 2025 season going forward? Will he be able to continue playing more frequently? Let us know in the comments below.