Novak Djokovic saw his Australian Open campaign come to an end after retiring in his semi-final against Alexander Zverev.
Djokovic had beaten Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open quarter-finals, but was unable to complete his subsequent match.
After losing the first set, Djokovic retired against Zverev and saw his bid for a 25th Grand Slam title come to an end.
Despite being a record 10-time champion, Djokovic was booed by some of the Australian Open crowd and at the time it was unclear what the severity of the injury was.
Now, Djokovic has provided an update on his injury and what he expects his next tournament to be.
Novak Djokovic provides big injury update ahead of Doha
Djokovic released a picture of his scan after the Australian Open, hitting out at people suggesting that his injury was not as severe as he was claiming.
Now in an exclusive interview with Montenegrin outlet, Vijesti , Djokovic has provided the latest on this injury is and the likelihood of him playing at the Qatar Open.
“There is no more rupture in the muscle, the injury is almost 100 percent repaired and I’m ready to go to new work victories,” said Djokovic. “I have the green light from the medical team that I can train, that I can prepare. The tournament in Doha is scheduled for seven days now so I’m sticking to the schedule.
“Thank God, I was able to recover quickly. I’ve had a bit more injuries lately than I did in the first 15 years of my career. That probably comes with age, but my body still listens to me, I still have a burning flame and a desire to achieve and achieve new things. That’s why he hopes for success, both next week in Doha and in the rest of the season.”
Has Novak Djokovic ever won the Qatar Open?
Djokovic is a two-time champion at the Qatar Open, having won titles at the tournament in both 2016 and 2017.
The most recent victory in Doha saw Djokovic beat now coach Andy Murray in a thrilling final.
However, the Serbian has not played in Doha since 2019, where he reached the semi-finals before losing to eventual champion Roberto Bautista Agut.
This year, the Qatar Open has been changed from an ATP 250 to a 500 level event, and sees a strong field for its first year as an upgraded tournament.
Djokovic will be joined by Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev, with a total of six top 10 players entered into the tournament.
The main draw of the Qatar Open will begin on Monday February 17, as Djokovic looks to make his return from injury.
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