Novak Djokovic’s brother, Djordje, has given an update on the tennis legend’s physical condition and recovery after his injury struggles at the Shanghai Masters and retirement at the Six Kings Slam.
Last week, Djokovic was forced to retire after losing a marathon opening set on a tiebreak in his third place playoff match against Taylor Fritz at the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Riyadh last week.
This came after Djokovic battled his body throughout his run to the semi-finals at the ATP 1000 tournament in Shanghai earlier this month, which ended with a shock loss to eventual winner Valentin Vacherot.
Djordje Djokovic provides key Novak Djokovic update
Djordje Djokovic has revealed that Novak Djokovic is dealing with “specific problems” that “worsened” in Shanghai
Djokovic’s brother explained that the world No 5 “feels good now” and that he is “doing everything in his power” to prepare to play at the Athens tournament
Injuries and fitness issues have become increasingly problematic for Djokovic this season
Djokovic has withdrawn from next week’s Paris Masters, which means his next scheduled tournament is the Hellenic Championship, a new ATP 250 in Athens.
The indoor hard-court event in Athens, which will run from November 2-8, is organised by Djokovic family, and it has replaced the Belgrade tournament. The Djokovic family reportedly relocated from Belgrade to Athens earlier this year.
What Djokovic’s brother said about his fitness
Djordje Djokovic, who is Novak’s youngest brother, is the tournament director of the Hellenic Championship.
In a press conference ahead of the inaugural event, the 30-year-old Serbian shed light on his brother’s health.
“He withdrew from Paris, but he is working hard to recover. He has specific problems that worsened in Shanghai,” Djordje Djokovic said.
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“He feels good now, he is doing everything in his power to be in the best possible condition and play in Athens.
“He has said how important it is for him to play in this competition, in front of the Greek fans.
“He is a mastermind when it comes to preparation and recovery, and that is why he is the best.”
Everything you need to know about Djokovic’s 2025 injury struggles
Djokovic has had to contend with a host of physical issues in 2025, starting with a torn hamstring that derailed his Australian Open campaign in January. He suffered the injury in his quarter-final win over Carlos Alcaraz and was forced to retire after a set of his semi-final with Alexander Zverev.
During his surprise straight-set loss to Jakub Mensik in the Miami Open final in March, Djokovic had a swollen right eye, which appeared to be a stye.
At Wimbledon, Djokovic sustained a leg injury when he slipped on match point in his quarter-final win over Flavio Cobolli. The issue hampered his movement in a straight-set semi-final loss to Jannik Sinner.
Djokovic did not play again until the US Open, where he seemed to be short of fitness throughout a campaign which ended with him seeming to be physically spent after just two sets of his semi-final loss to Alcaraz.
In Shanghai, Djokovic was troubled by sickness and a left leg injury, as well as what appeared to be hip and back issues in his loss to Vacherot.
The 24-time major winner did not reveal the specific issue that caused him to retire at the Six Kings Slam, but it could have been something he dealt with at the Masters event in China the previous week.
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