Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam winner, cancelled his practice session after only 12 minutes on Wednesday due to a neck injury. This has raised concerns regarding his physical health just four days before the first Grand Slam of 2026 begins in Melbourne.
The world No. 4 was scheduled for a second session at 5 pm on Rod Laver Arena with Daniil Medvedev. Neither player appeared to be at full intensity and the workout lasted only 12-minutes.
After struggling with his serve, the Serb required several minutes of treatment on his neck from his physiotherapist, Miljan Amanovic. The session did not resume.
The tennis star has not played a competitive match since the Hellenic Championship in Greece on November 8. He also withdrew from this month’s Adelaide International, stating he was “not quite physically ready to compete.”
Djokovic may have to face both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner to claim his 25th Grand Slam title. Tennis legend Pat Cash believes it will be difficult for Djokovic to endure multiple five-set matches at his age; therefore, he may need his younger rivals to suffer early upsets.
Intense training with injury prevention is the biggest challenge for the player in the days ahead.
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