Djokovic says season has been 'a big, big struggle' after latest medical timeout
BEIJING: Novak Djokovic said this year has been a massive struggle, but insisted it was not due to stamina issues and was instead linked to an undisclosed health problem, after requiring another medical timeout at the China Open on Friday.
Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, has described the 2023 season as an immense struggle, despite his recent victory at the China Open. The 39-year-old Serbian player required a medical timeout during his opening-round win against Nuno Borges and vomited mid-match in the US Open, indicating health issues beyond mere stamina.
Djokovic, who aims to end the year on a strong note after a first-round loss at the US Open, has not disclosed the exact nature of his health problem. However, he mentioned that the issues were not related to endurance but were health-related. Despite these challenges, Djokovic managed to break through in the third set of his recent victory, feeling fresher than in the previous sets.
He emphasized that his emotional and mental focus was more on dealing with his health issues than on the game itself. The Serb, who has won the China Open six times, including most recently in 2015, is now aiming to extend his perfect record at the tournament to 31-0.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
