Djokovic withdraws from Cincinnati Masters

The 20-time Grand Slam champion has reasoned the decision to give himself more time to recover after a draining season.

Djokovic is a two-time winner of the tournament, held at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Ohio.

World number one Novak Djokovic withdrew on Monday from this month's Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, saying he needed more time to recuperate from a season in which he won three Grand Slam tournaments and competed at the Tokyo Olympics.

"I'm taking a bit longer to recover after quite a physically taxing journey from Australian Open up to Tokyo," he wrote on Twitter.

"Sadly, this means I won't be ready to compete in Cincinnati this year so I'll be turning my focus to the U.S. Open and spending more time with my family. Can't wait to see you in New York soon!"

Djokovic, a 20-time Grand Slam champion, is a two-time champion at the Masters 1000 hardcourt event played at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Ohio. The Western & Southern Open runs from August 14-22.