Novak Djokovic had a video go viral in the aftermath of the Qatar Open where he lost to Matteo Berrettini of him limping at the airport.
Ahead of Indian Wells, he has debunked any potential rumours stating that it was for a different reason and that it’s nothing to do with an injury.
Instead of facing his enemy turned friend Nick Kyrgios, it will be Botic van de Zandschulp which takes centre stage on Saturday. He didn’t play the sunshine double for a long time due to not being allowed in the US so he will aim to make up for lost time. While he acknowledges poor form previously in the double, he is ready to arrest the slide.
“Yeah, I saw that. No, it was something different, actually. It was not an injury. The injury is behind me,” the five-time Indian Wells winner said.
“I mean, hopefully. I haven't felt any problems prior to Doha, end of Doha tournament I felt completely fine, as I have felt in the lead-up to Indian Wells, my training weeks.
“It was really, yeah, awkward to see that video, because I arrived to the airport and I hit myself really badly as I was walking out, because it was very early, I think, 4 or 5am.
“I was just limping because I hit myself badly in the ankle. That's all. It was just a hit. It was nothing else. But then people connected it to the injury and thought it was something.
“But anyway, I'm feeling good. I really look forward coming to Indian Wells and Miami this year, you know. I'll play the Sunshine Double first time after, I think, six years. So I look forward to that.
“I haven't done really well in Indian Wells and Miami ever since 2016 or ‘17, and I struggled to find my best game here. I'm not going to get younger, I know that.
“But I definitely look to go deep in the tournament, you know. I've done, I think, the right things in preparation. I've been playing some good tennis these days. So let's see. Let's see how far I can go escalating and coming back.”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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