Novak Djokovic’s preparation for this year’s Australian Open has been far from ideal.
After all, the Serbian has not played a competitive match since November, and as he began gearing up for his return to action in Melbourne, disaster struck.
Earlier this week, Djokovic was forced to cut his practice short, citing neck pain and fatigue.
It has led many to worry about his chances of competing at all at the Australian Open, let alone for the title.
Danielle Collins is certainly fearing the worst.
Novak Djokovic suffers injury scare ahead of the Australian Open
Speaking on Tennis Channel just yesterday, she spoke about just how troubling issues with the neck and back can be for a tennis player to get over.
She admitted: “You know how I feel about this. Anytime you’re dealing with something in the spine, lower back, neck, it’s not a good sign. It’s not just a pain in the neck. It can be debilitating.
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“So not excited about this for Novak. He’s going to have to probably get some muscle relaxer and some painkillers and hope that he can get that inflammation down before the tournament starts.”
Steve Weissman sought to offer some cause for hope, noting: “Yeah, for me, there’s no concern. He’s won 24 majors, got ten of them down there in Australia. We got four or five days before he starts his first round match.
“He’s the greatest of all time, so for him, he knows exactly what his body needs. He’s going to be fine, come first round of the Aussie Open. So I expect him, no issues to come start of the tournament.”
However, Collins remained firm on her fears: “I mean, like Steve said, he’s the greatest of all time, but in my mind, you know, he is getting a little bit older, and I do think there’s something there, and it’s not ever a good feeling going into a tournament when you have an injury or something like this come up.
“You can certainly make the adjustment, but he’d better pray that he has a good draw.”
Novak Djokovic plays practice match against Frances Tiafoe
Despite this reported setback, Novak Djokovic still took to the court today to face Frances Tiafoe in a practice match.
It marked a fine opportunity for him to measure his level and see whether he could make it through a faster-paced environment than practice without breaking down.
We are yet to see the physical implications of this endeavour, but Djokovic impressed by easily defeating the American 6-3, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena.
Although just an exhibition, these mark crucial minutes on court for the 24-time Grand Slam champion to try and manage his fitness.
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After all, his chances of winning major number 25 get slimmer with each new year.
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