Novak Djokovic said on Wednesday that the hamstring injury he sustained in Adelaide and somehow managed during his title-winning run at the Australian Open has healed and his next tournament is going to be the ATP500 event in Dubai which begins from February 27.
The 35-year-old Djokovic won his 10th title in Melbourne and equalled Rafael Nadal’s all-time men’s record of 22 Grand Slams. He also reclaimed the No.1 spot in the ATP Rankings.
“My injury from Australian Open is healed but I’m still not at 100 percent. Things looking very good. My team and I decided that I’m going to Dubai,” Djokovic was quoted as saying by Sportklub during a press conference in Belgrade.
However, Djokovic’s participation at the Masters events in Indian Wells and Miami is uncertain since US, at the moment, does now allow entry to foreigners not vaccinated against COVID-19. Djordje, his brother, had said earlier this month that Djokovic has applied for special permission to enter the country.
When asked about the same, Djokovic said,” “For the US, it depends on the situation, I’m waiting for an answer and it’s not in my hands. We will see how things unfold in the next two weeks. The process is ongoing and that’s all I know.”
“These are things that are completely out of my control. Of course, I would like to play and I’m glad that I got support from the tournament director, people want me to go to America and play, and I want that, but I hope that the side that decides about it will also think so,” he added.
Would like facing Nadal in French Open final
Djokovic and Nadal have faced each other 59 times in their career, which is an ATP Tour record of most meetings between two players in the Open Era.
The Serbian leads the head-to-head record 30-29 but in Grand Slams, it is Nadal who is 11-7 ahead. The last time the two players faced each other was in the quarterfinals of last year’s French Open where eventual champion Nadal triumphed 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4).
Djokovic liked the possibility of their 60th duel being at this year’s Roland Garros. He said, “I think he and I would both agree that it should be there. He is definitely my biggest rival. Not only because of the number of matches, we are generationally close, we grew up through the juniors together, although he started to have excellent professional results much earlier. Federer and he shaped me the most as a player, they were always in my focus and the enigma of how to solve them in the period between 2008 and 2011.”
“(Alcaraz) is arguably the next biggest thing in our sport, or he’s already there.” Djokovic said. “I just feel that the rivalry with Nadal is something that is difficult to eliminate.
“Nadal has been the biggest rival and he probably will remain the biggest rival I ever had in my in my career.”
On equalling Steffi Graff’s record
Djokovic reached another milestone in his tennis career this week by tying German great Steffi Graff with 377 weeks at the top of the world rankings.
“Obviously, Steffi Graf is one of the biggest legends of our sport, both men and women tennis, and someone that I truly admire and respect,” Djokovic said. “So, of course, it’s very flattering that I am able to equal her record and obviously have a possibility to break it as well the next week.”
(With inputs from AP)
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