On the sidelines of the Davis Cup with his Serbia, Novak Djokovic had revealed that he did not yet know where he would play in the coming weeks. The Serbian champion will play the Shanghai Rolex Masters, a tournament that could be his last commitment of a bittersweet season.
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"I do not know when I will play after the Shanghai Masters 1000, my priority is only the Slams and the matches of the national team. The ATP Finals and being at the top of the rankings are no longer goals for me. I do not know if I will play the finals this year or next, but right now what I need most is physical, mental and emotional rest to decide what are the prospects of my career, how much I want to play and where," he said.
In the last few hours, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, who boasts a record of 34 wins and only 5 losses in Shanghai, has been training to arrive at the tournament in the best possible conditions. The fact that Djokovic is still wearing the protection on the knee he injured at Roland Garros has aroused much curiosity.
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Below you can watch a video that shows him training on the hard courts in preparation for the Chinese commitment.
It should also be noted that for the first time in many years, Nole may not qualify for the ATP Finals. The only success at the Olympic Games in Paris, which do not give points in the ATP ranking, has caused the 37-year-old to sink to 5th position, but following the events in Paris Bercy and Turin, Nole risks falling below 10th position.
Meanwhile, on the eve of the Laver Cup, Roger Federer highlighted that Djokovic this year, even if he didn't win a Slam, still won an Olympic gold medal, which was a big goal of his and it's normal that at this stage of his career he plays less.
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"Novak, winning the Olympics and playing, let's say, a whole season, beyond the known Roland Garros situation, he didn't withdraw from tournaments due to injuries, he just chose to play less, which is normal when you get older. I think he has the chance to move forward. I can't wait for Australia in January, which is the next Grand Slam tournament. I think Djokovic will be one of the favorites along with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. It will be very interesting also for this reason to follow the Australian Open," he said.
