Champions Corner: Novak Djokovic - French Open Aftermath

[britbox]

Today I have read that Nole has a long standing wrist injury. I have been sure all year something was wrong. I hope it can heal without surgery- such a tough joint to repair. US Open without him or Fed would be much the poorer.

I think he'll play the USO @Mary and then take a longer rest afterward. As he's been carrying this for a while, I doubt he's going to be fully fit at Flushing Meadow, but will play anyway. Ditto Nadal.

 

[masterclass]

Well, Novak made the final of the USO, getting through 3 of the rounds courtesy of 2 retirements and a walkover, but lost to Stan the Slam Man Wawrinka. Novak took two MTO's in the 4th and last set for a problem with his toe.

Now he has withdrawn from the China Open in Beijing due to a problem with his elbow.

With all of the problems mentioned in this thread, is his body starting to fall apart with all of the matches he has played in the last few years?
So much consistency at the top is not without side affects. I believe he also stated that after RG, he lost his enjoyment or love for the game and he is looking to recover that as well.

Maybe Novak will take a longer rest as @britbox mentioned. Shanghai might certainly be in question.

Many believe he will be ready for the Australian Open in 2017 on his favorite Plexicushion surface.

But we just don't know what will happen. Things can change fast in tennis. Sometimes with great success many players suddenly lose motivation, interest, even at a younger age and with fewer matches played than Novak, and they don't get it back. Look at Wilander, Borg, etc.
Other players need a break and come back firing. Who knows?

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[Mary]

Well, Novak made the final of the USO, getting through 3 of the rounds courtesy of 2 retirements and a walkover, but lost to Stan the Slam Man Wawrinka. Novak took two MTO's in the 4th and last set for a problem with his toe.

Now he has withdrawn from the China Open in Beijing due to a problem with his elbow.

With all of the problems mentioned in this thread, is his body starting to fall apart with all of the matches he has played in the last few years?
So much consistency at the top is not without side affects. I believe he also stated that after RG, he lost his enjoyment or love for the game and he is looking to recover that as well.

Maybe Novak will take a longer rest as @britbox mentioned. Shanghai might certainly be in question.

Many believe he will be ready for the Australian Open in 2017 on his favorite Plexicushion surface.

But we just don't know what will happen. Things can change fast in tennis. Sometimes with great success many players suddenly lose motivation, interest, even at a younger age and with fewer matches played than Novak, and they don't get it back. Look at Wilander, Borg, etc.
Other players need a break and come back firing. Who knows?

Respectfully,
masterclass

My thoughts exactly. It seems like the years of huge effort are beginning to catch up with him - I hope it's a blip but it could well be the body telling him enough is enough.

I idly wondered after the French if he would retire. He is a highly intelligent man with many interests and activities in his life, not like a player who has nothing outside of tennis. And the constant travel and media pressure must get pretty wearing.

In any event I hope he takes time to recover fully and come back physically and mentally refreshed. I would hate to see him slide down the rankings due to injuries and exhaustion.

 

[Obsi]

May I just remind you what happened in 2011

Novak Djokovic plays down injury fears after beating Mardy Fish to win Montreal Masters title

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/te...Mardy-Fish-to-win-Montreal-Masters-title.html

ATP Cincinnati Final: Andy Murray Wins After Injured Novak Djokovic

http://www.sbnation.com/2011/8/21/2...ovak-djokovic-injured-injury-shoulder-us-open

Having dropped a set against defending champion Rafael Nadal, Djokovic's grip on the U.S. Open final appeared to be starting to slip away and, worse, his body was breaking down.

http://www.espn.com/tennis/usopen11...novak-djokovic-downs-rafael-nadal-win-us-open

Video of Novak Djokovic Injuring His Back During Davis Cup

http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2011-09-19/7996.php

Djokovic pulls out of Beijing

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-29/djokovic-pulls-out-of-beijing/3052982

Novak Djokovic withdraws from Shanghai Masters with back injury

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/15109916

We know what happened in the following 5 years.

 

[Moxie]

@Obsi: Djokovic has suffered more niggles than real injuries over the course of his career. A difference between 2011 and 2016 is obviously that he's 5 years older. More mileage on the body, more milestones accomplished, and a family. So motivations change. But I agree that there's no reason to consider similar aches and pains at this point to be much more than a lot of tennis in 2016. We'll see how he's managing his fatigue and pains, round about the WTF, and AO next year. Until then, surely too soon to panic.

 

[isabelle]

Strange to see Nole so unlucky after he won RG, he wanted it so bad then...a ton of various injuries and (maybe) some pero problems during Wimbly

 

[britbox]

Strange to see Nole so unlucky after he won RG, he wanted it so bad then...a ton of various injuries and (maybe) some pero problems during Wimbly

It's not really luck, it's life.

 

[Tennis Fan]

Sounds like a little bit of burnout; no cause for alarm.

Novak Djokovic: 'After the French Open I lost enjoyment for tennis'

Gatto Luigi - 21-09-2016

Tennis - Regarding his toe injury, he said, 'I'm doing well'

http://www.tennisworldusa.org/news/news/Novak_Djokovic/36500/novak-djokovic-after-the-french-open-i-lost-enjoyment-for-tennis-/

In most cases, winning helps to win even more, but for Novak Djokovic it wasn't the case. The world no. 1 won almost everything in the first half of 2016 including completing the career Grand Slam at the French Open, but thereafter he was not the same player as before.

'To be honest I am looking forward to finding the freshness and peace of mind of enjoying sport and enjoying being on the tennis court,' Djokovic said to Sky Sports about the remainder of his season, where he will play Beijing, Shanghai, Paris Masters and the ATP World Tour Finals. Somehow I lost it along the way after Paris and the French Open. I felt that over the last couple of months it was difficult for me to re-engage myself.'

However, Djokovic added that it had been a positive season despite his defeats. 'It’s been another great season and it is not over. Now I am looking forward to Asia and competing again, hopefully healthy.',

Asked how he has been doing with regard to the toe injury that he'd suffered during the US Open final against Stan Wawrinka, Djokovic didn't elaborate much, but said he was fine. 'I am doing well, thanks for asking me. The Grand Slams in 2017? No, it's too early to speak about next year.'

 

[brokenshoelace]

Sounds like a little bit of burnout; no cause for alarm.

Novak Djokovic: 'After the French Open I lost enjoyment for tennis'

Gatto Luigi - 21-09-2016

Tennis - Regarding his toe injury, he said, 'I'm doing well'

http://www.tennisworldusa.org/news/news/Novak_Djokovic/36500/novak-djokovic-after-the-french-open-i-lost-enjoyment-for-tennis-/

In most cases, winning helps to win even more, but for Novak Djokovic it wasn't the case. The world no. 1 won almost everything in the first half of 2016 including completing the career Grand Slam at the French Open, but thereafter he was not the same player as before.

'To be honest I am looking forward to finding the freshness and peace of mind of enjoying sport and enjoying being on the tennis court,' Djokovic said to Sky Sports about the remainder of his season, where he will play Beijing, Shanghai, Paris Masters and the ATP World Tour Finals. Somehow I lost it along the way after Paris and the French Open. I felt that over the last couple of months it was difficult for me to re-engage myself.'

However, Djokovic added that it had been a positive season despite his defeats. 'It’s been another great season and it is not over. Now I am looking forward to Asia and competing again, hopefully healthy.',

Asked how he has been doing with regard to the toe injury that he'd suffered during the US Open final against Stan Wawrinka, Djokovic didn't elaborate much, but said he was fine. 'I am doing well, thanks for asking me. The Grand Slams in 2017? No, it's too early to speak about next year.'

I mean, I believe it, but, Novak made the US Open final and just thought: "nah, I'm not really feeling this. Can't be bothered to put in effort for one more match and win a major."

 

[Moxie]

I mean, I believe it, but, Novak made the US Open final and just thought: "nah, I'm not really feeling this. Can't be bothered to put in effort for one more match and win a major."

I'm pretty sure that's not what he thought. We all know it takes tremendous physical and mental effort to win a Major. Djokovic has said, and the eye test confirms, that he's struggled to find his motivation since RG. Stan was hot and ready on the day, and played a really good and smart match. Novak needed to find another notch up, and it alluded him. That's not a conscious choice. I'm pretty sure he'll get the fire-in-the-belly back, though.

 

[Billie]

He was more than lucky to get to the USO final, with playing only 3 full matches to get there. If he had a fully fit and on fire opponent in any of the previous rounds, I am sure he would have been ousted much earlier. By the same token, if it weren't for very game Stan in the final, I can see scenarios against some other players where Nole perhaps could have even won the title and that would have been an icing on a very lucky cake.

I've always said it is not easy to get to final stages of every single tournament he plays. It is natural that niggling injuries and plain simple mental exhaustion happen from time to time. It happened to him in past and I am sure it will happen again.

As for the elbow injury, he spoke with Serbian media today and he says it is a micro injury that they don't believe could turn into anything serious. It affects his serve as of now and they all feel it should be given some more time to heal completely. The plan is still to go to Shanghai, if everything is OK. I would not be surprised if he skips it, though, but we'll see.

 

[isabelle]

Hope his tennis elbow won't stop him from playing Shanghai, it's not a serious injury but it can be long to heal

 

[Tennis Fan]

I mean, I believe it, but, Novak made the US Open final and just thought: "nah, I'm not really feeling this. Can't be bothered to put in effort for one more match and win a major."

LOL!