Novak Djokovic reportedly may skip Miami Open despite Indian Wells return being confirmed

Novak Djokovic will play at Indian Wells for the first time in five years in a few weeks. But the Miami Open is less of a certainty and if reports are to be believed, he is likely to withdraw from the second part of the Sunshine Double.

Tennis commentator Nick Lester suggested to Tennis365 that he expects Djokovic not to play in Miami and also sit out the Monte Carlo Masters in April as he limits how many tournaments he plays prior to the French Open. Known to not play a lot of warm ups for Grand Slams due to his age and also the need not to defend rankings anymore, Djokovic usually snubs multiple warm-ups.

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“When you are going for number one rankings, you kind of have to be playing the entire season, but now the focus is the Slams,” said Djokovic.

“Of course, my greatest motivation is still love for the game. I really like competing. So as simple as that.

“Then, you know, I always have goals, you know, and to win another Slam, to be No. 1 again, to finish the year as No. 1. Those are let’s say the big goals.

“Of course then we have the Olympic Games this year. I really want to do well in Olympic Games and represent my country. Davis Cup is something that still gives me a lot of inspiration.

“I still feel young in my own body. It’s serving me well. I won three out of four slams. You know, there are obviously differences with different tennis players in the past that, you know, some of them think that it’s best to leave tennis when you’re at the top.

“Some of them think when you figure out you can’t win the biggest tournaments anymore and that you’re losing to the young guys, then you leave it. I’m more in the second group.”