“Not quite physically ready”: Novak Djokovic withdraws from Adelaide two weeks before the Australian Open

Novak Djokovic has announced that he will not compete at the ATP 250 Adelaide International after failing to fully recover physically in time for the tournament. The 24-time Grand Slam champion confirmed that he will instead focus his efforts on arriving in peak condition for the Australian Open.

The Serbian was set to be the top seed at the event, which begins on 12 January as part of the Australian Open warm-up swing. Djokovic had been announced as the headline name in an entry list without other Top 10 players, alongside competitors such as Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Jiří Lehečka, Tommy Paul and João Fonseca.

However, the 38-year-old will not return to competition on this occasion and will have to wait at least another week before stepping back onto court. Djokovic confirmed via social media that he is not yet at 100% physically and has opted to take an extra week of recovery ahead of the first Major of the season.

“To all my fans in Adelaide, unfortunately, I’m not quite physically ready to compete in the Adelaide International next week,” Djokovic wrote on his Instagram account. “It’s personally very disappointing to me as I have such great memories of winning the title there two years ago.

“I was really excited about returning, as it truly felt like playing at home,” the World No. 4 added. “My focus is now on my preparation for the Australian Open, and I look forward to arriving in Melbourne soon and seeing all the tennis fans in Australia.”

Djokovic had made headlines just a day earlier after announcing his departure from the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), an organisation he co-founded alongside Canada’s Vasek Pospisil. The Serbian cited concerns over “transparency, governance and the way my voice and image have been represented” as the reasons behind his decision.

Djokovic’s most recent appearance came at the Hellenic Championships in Athens, a tournament owned by his family, where he claimed the title on 8 November by defeating Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in the final (4–6, 6–3, 7–5). It marked his second title of the season — both at ATP 250 level — and concluded his year without competing at the ATP Finals. He withdrew from that event just hours before it began due to a shoulder injury, allowing Musetti to enter the field as a late replacement.

While Djokovic has sought to reassure fans that he will be ready for the Australian Open, questions remain over whether his physical condition will allow him to be fully competitive in a demanding best-of-five-set tournament, potentially requiring seven matches to reach the final.

Last year in Melbourne, Djokovic also arrived with fitness concerns but displayed a high level in the early rounds. Coached at the time by Andy Murray, he progressed through the first two rounds in four sets — against Basavareddy and Faria — before winning his third- and fourth-round matches in straight sets against Czech players Tomas Machac and Jiri Lehecka.

The quarter-finals produced one of his standout victories of the season, as he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in four sets. However, physical issues resurfaced two days later in the semi-finals against Alexander Zverev, where Djokovic appeared uncomfortable from the opening set and ultimately retired after losing the first-set tie-break.