Novak Djokovic withdraws from the Cincinnati Open and will head to the US Open without preparation

Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open due to a “non-medical” reason. This means that Djokovic will be heading straight to the U.S. Open without having played a match in over a month and a half.

Djokovic’s last competitive match was at Wimbledon, where he suffered a defeat in the semifinals against eventual champion Jannik Sinner. In that match, Djokovic had taken a hard fall in the quarterfinals, which left him compromised and unable to perform at his best. He received treatment on his upper left leg during the match.

Following his withdrawal from Cincinnati, Djokovic also opted out of the Toronto Masters due to a groin injury. This means that he will have no hard-court tournament preparation before the U.S. Open, which begins on August 24th.

Despite the lack of preparation, Djokovic is a four-time champion at the U.S. Open, with his most recent victory coming in 2023. This tournament holds a special place for Djokovic as it was where he last won a Grand Slam title.

With Djokovic’s recent setbacks and lack of match practice, it will be interesting to see how he performs at the upcoming U.S. Open. Tennis fans around the world will be eagerly awaiting his return to the court and hoping to see him back at his best.

For more updates on Djokovic and the world of tennis, you can visit AP Tennis at https://apnews.com/hub/tennis.