I am fully prepared: Novak Djokovic dismisses injury worries ahead of the Australian Open
Novak Djokovic assures fans that he has ample time to heal his wrist injury, downplaying concerns after his recent loss to Alex de Minaur in the United Cup
Novak Djokovic stated that he has ample time to make a complete recovery from the wrist injury that affected him during his unexpected loss to Australia's Alex de Minaur in the United Cup. The top-ranked player was defeated 6-4 6-4, marking his first loss on Australian ground since 2018, ending a streak of 43 consecutive wins. Additionally, he required treatment on his right wrist from the trainer for the second consecutive match.
Australia advanced to the United Cup semifinals after winning the tie 3-0. Djokovic told reporters that he didn't expect to be at 100% physically, emotionally, or mentally game-wise in the opening week of the season.
"I wasn't at the top of my game, but it was just one of those days where I didn't feel my best on the court and my opponent played very well.
"I believe I'll be alright, to be honest," Djokovic stated. "The wrist injury did have a significant impact, especially on my forehand and serve. I have plenty of time, I think enough time, to get myself in the right shape for the Australian Open."
The 24-time grand slam champion is the clear frontrunner to retain his title in Australia and secure an unprecedented 11th Australian Open victory.
Scheduled to commence on Sunday, January 14, the tournament will start a day earlier than usual in effort to avoid the late matches that sparked backlash from certain players in the previous year.
Alex de Minaur beat Djokovic in straight sets.
Trevor Collens/AP
Djokovic insisted that the process of getting back to full health is "not strange" to him now.
"It's nothing out of the ordinary," he remarked. "I've faced similar situations countless times and I'm aware of the necessary steps my team and I need to take to prepare. I just hope to avoid any injuries this time.
"Our focus will be on getting my body in peak condition, so that I can deliver top performance consistently, ideally throughout the entire Australian Open."
Elsewhere, Poland beat China 3-0 in the 18-team mixed event to advance to the semifinals, with France and Norway currently tied at 1-1.
Nadal continues strong return from injury
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal, a 22-time grand slam champion, made an impressive comeback on Thursday by defeating Australian wildcard Jason Kubler 6-1 6-2 to secure a spot in the quarterfinals at the Brisbane International. Nadal quickly took the lead with a 5-0 advantage in the first set, marking only his second singles match after recuperating from a year-long injury sustained at the 2023 Australian Open.
Kubler finally scored a point, but the 37-year-old Spaniard continued his strong performance into the second set, securing a comfortable win. Nadal will face another Australian, Jordan Thompson, in the quarterfinals.
