The tile. World number one Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the Madrid Masters 1000 which begins on Monday, tournament organizers confirmed to AFP on Saturday, two days after the announcement of Rafael Nadal’s withdrawal.
One month before Roland Garros (May 28 – June 11), where the Serb will try to win a 23rd Grand Slam title (an absolute record for men), “Djoko” is suffering from pain in his right elbow, and is “unfit to participate” in the Madrid tournament, the organizers said on Instagram. “We wish you a speedy recovery, we hope to see you back on the courts as soon as possible, Nole!” They added in their message posted on social media.
On Saturday, Djokovic was knocked out in the quarter-finals of Banja Luka’s ATP 250 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) by fellow countryman and 70th-ranked player in the world Dusan Lajovic, prompting fresh concerns over the future. his season. “He played well, he was solid. I was below the level I want to reach. (…) It’s simply sport. I tried but it didn’t work. I didn’t feel very well physically on the court. My legs were slow,” commented the 35-year-old world No.1 after his defeat.
This setback comes a few days after another elimination in the round of 16 at the Masters 1000 in Monte-Carlo, against the Italian Lorenzo Musetti (21st in the world), 4-6, 7-5, 6-4. “For Roland Garros. It’s not a secret. It’s the tournament where I want to play my best tennis and I’m working on it. There, the conditions are completely different compared to Monte Carlo and Banja Luka. We’ll see. There are still quite a few weeks to play and to train,” he said on Saturday.
Djokovic’s withdrawal from the Madrid tournament comes two days after the video posted by his great rival Rafael Nadal on social networks, where the Spaniard explains that he too will not be able to participate in the Masters 1000 in Madrid this year , still in trouble with his “big injury” to the psoas, contracted in Australia, in January.
