Novak Djokovic will return to play in Doha next week, much earlier than expected after the Australian Open. The former world No.1 had injured his left thigh during the first Grand Slam of the new season and it seemed like a fairly serious injury, having forced him to retire during the semifinal against Alexander Zverev.
Some insiders - based on the photo of the resonance posted by Nole on social media - had speculated that the Serbian legend would be out for a couple of months and would be back in action directly on the red clay of Monte Carlo.
Last week, Serbian media reported that Novak's injury was less serious than expected and that the 37-year-old from Belgrade would be ready for the prestigious Doha ATP 500.
Although the AO did not end in a positive way for him, the 24-time Grand Slam champion has still shown that he can still compete at the highest level. His feat against Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals will be remembered as one of the highlights of the tournament and no one knows where Nole could have gone without that thigh injury.
Djokovic doesn't just want to win
At almost 38 years old, Djokovic has no intention of giving up and wants to keep playing for as long as possible to break new records. His mind is mainly focused on the Major tournaments, but the Serbian knows that he has to play more tournaments during the year so as not to lose the right rhythm.
In a long interview with 'Vijesti' before flying to Doha, the former world number 1 revealed why he continues to play despite having already won everything: "Many people ask me what drives me to continue competing at the highest level, although I have already achieved any feat in this sport.
The truth is that I love tennis and I think that this sport helps me grow as a person as well. During a match I feel so many emotions: some beautiful, others negative."
The legend from Belgrade added: "In addition, I am convinced that I can inspire young talents and bring children closer to tennis. In general, physical activity is essential for health."
