Tennis player Novak Djokovic withdraws from the Cincinnati Open due to a non-medical issue.
Novak Djokovic, the world No. 1 ranked tennis player, has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open, citing a non-medical reason. This decision means he will enter the US Open later this month without any match play on hard courts for about 1.5 months, which could affect his preparation for the tournament.
Djokovic's last competitive outing was a straight-set defeat to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-finals on July 11, where he sustained a "nasty" fall and required leg treatment during the quarter-final match against Flavio Cobolli. This suggests that physical issues may have played a part in his decision to skip the Cincinnati Open and the Toronto Masters, which he also missed due to a groin injury.
The Serbian's absence from the Cincinnati Open means he will miss out on critical preparation time on hard courts before the US Open, where he has been a four-time champion (2011, 2015, 2018, and 2023). This could potentially impact his performance and ranking in the upcoming tournament.
Despite these setbacks, Djokovic remains a formidable force in tennis, having won 24 major titles and being a three-time champion at the ATP Masters event. However, his cautious approach, given recent injury concerns and form, is reflected in his decision to withdraw from the Cincinnati Open.
The US Open, one of the four major tennis tournaments, will commence at Flushing Meadows later this month. The Cincinnati Open does not feature Djokovic this year, and he will enter the tournament without any hard-court tournament preparation. The ATP Masters event is also not part of his tournament schedule leading up to the US Open.
As the US Open approaches, fans and tennis enthusiasts will be eagerly waiting to see how Djokovic fares in his quest to add another title to his impressive collection.
The absence of hard-court match play due to his withdrawal from the Cincinnati Open and the Toronto Masters might hamper Novak Djokovic's preparation for the upcoming US Open, a tournament where he has previously won four titles. Although he may miss out on vital practice time on hard courts, his formidable reputation as a twelve-time Grand Slam champion should not be underestimated.
