Novak Djokovic has unfortunately been forced to step away from the upcoming Miami Open as he focuses on recovering from a right shoulder injury.
The 38-year-old veteran, who is currently ranked third in the world, is taking this time to heal following a challenging run at Indian Wells, where he was eliminated by Jack Draper after a hard-fought match.
While in the California desert, he also made a brief appearance on the doubles court alongside Stefanos Tsitsipas, though the pair exited in the second round.
His absence is a significant loss for the tournament given his storied history in Florida. As a six-time winner, Djokovic remains the most successful men’s player in the history of the Miami Open.
After reaching the final last year and narrowly missing out on the title to Jakub Mensik, many fans were eager to see him chase a record-breaking seventh crown this season.
With qualifying matches already underway this Monday and the main draw starting Wednesday, the tennis world will be watching to see who rises to the occasion in the legend’s absence.
