Spain World number one Novak Djokovic has decided not to play in the second Masters 1000 tournament of the clay season, saving his energy for the Rome Masters.
Last year Djokovic also missed the Madrid Masters due to a sore right elbow. This time, he decided to rest until the Rome Masters, which ends a week before Roland Garros.
Djokovic’s title drought will therefore last until May. He has only played four tournaments since the beginning of the year, including the United Cup, and has yet to reach a final. Nole will turn 37 on May 22, the time close to Roland Garros – where he is the defending champion.
Djokovic has not won any tournament in 2024. Photo: Reuters
Djokovic's withdrawal will push Jannik Sinner into the top seed position at the Madrid Masters. The second seed could be Carlos Alcaraz if the Spaniard recovers from injury. Sinner has a great chance to close the 1,285-point gap with Djokovic because he did not play in Madrid last year. Including the clay season, Sinner only defended 585 points.
Djokovic is still in Madrid today to prepare for the Laureus Awards. He is nominated for the best male athlete of 2023. Djokovic has to compete with other heavyweight candidates such as Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Max Verstappen. If he wins the award, the Serbian star will equal Roger Federer's record of five honors.
Djokovic's former coach Marian Vajda believes his player is implementing a strategy of cutting down his schedule to the minimum to suit the final stage of his career. He said: "Djokovic's main motivation is the Olympics and the Grand Slams. His mind is not on other tournaments. I'm not sure this approach helps Nole. While he lacks practice, his opponents are playing every week."
Vy Anh
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