Since his debut in 2003, injuries have been unavoidable in Novak Djokovic’s journey. But time and again, the 24-time Grand Slam champion has turned adversity into triumph! Remember his 2021 Australian Open victory with an abdominal tear? Or his 2023 title run despite a hamstring injury Down Under? The man thrives under pressure! However, recently, reports swirled that the Serb maestro would be out of action for a few months, after his withdrawal from the AO semifinal. But guess what? Plot twist! Novak is not just fit, he’s fired up and ready to chase his 100th title in just two weeks. And like all of us, the news has left a former British pro stunned!

The story began last month when Djoker shockingly retired mid-match against Alexander Zverev in the AO semifinal. The root of the issue? A muscle injury in his left leg that he suffered in the grueling quarterfinal clash against Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, where he was forced to take a medical timeout during the first set. He returned to the court though, with his thigh heavily taped, alongside his coach Andy Murray.

Despite bouncing back to defeat Alcaraz after dropping the first set in the quarters, Djokovic couldn’t push through in the SF, retiring after a tight 6-7 first set against Sascha. Facing skepticism over his injury, Djokovic even later took to X to share his scan reports, silencing critics who questioned its legitimacy. Now, in a dramatic twist, fresh reports confirm that he’s gearing up for a comeback in the Qatar Open in Doha! And former British pro Mark Petchey has weighed in with his take on the surprise return of Djokovic before the tournament starts.

Speaking on ‘The Inside-In Tennis Podcast’, Petchey said, “It is well, he’s well ahead of his schedule, it is phenomenal that he’s looking to get out in the Middle East and play. Because obviously a couple of weeks after short of from Australia a couple of rumors suggest he’s only going to come back at Madrid, on the clay so, never believe anything you read, especially on the internet.” But where did this bombshell news of Djokovic’s comeback come from?

Novak recently sat with a Montenegrin newspaper, Vijesti, where he gave an update about his comeback to the ATP tour. “There is no more rupture in the muscle, the injury is almost 100 percent repaired and I am ready to go to new work victories. I have the green light from the medical team that I can train, that I can prepare. The tournament in Doha is scheduled in seven days, so I’m sticking to the schedule,” the Serb revealed.

And it’s not just an injury update. The Serbian also shared his mission as he set his weight on a monumental goal going ahead: his 100th career title!

“I’ve been chasing it for a long time” – Djokovic sets his target for a century of trophies

“I never imagined that I would be here talking about 24 Slams,” Novak said after his historic triumph at the Margaret Court Arena when he beat Daniil Medvedev at the final of the US Open in three sets, in 2023. The Serb’s last notable triumph came at the Paris Olympics last year, where he defeated Carlos Alcaraz to win the gold medal. But since then, his chase for the 100th trophy has been relentless. The 24-time GS champion came agonizingly close at last year’s Shanghai Masters, only to fall short in the final against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. In that same conversation with the Montenegrin newspaper, Novak made his intentions crystal clear: his sights are locked on that elusive 100th title, and he’s up and ready to make it happen!

“I hope that the 100th trophy can come to Doha now, I’ve been chasing it for a long time, since October last year, but about that – it will come when it needs to come. Thank God, I know he will come, we will see when and where. “As for the Grand Slam, it’s a bigger challenge, a harder endeavor, but I believe I can,” Djokovic said.

Continuing further, he added, “If I didn’t believe I could compete at that level with the best players in the world, I wouldn’t be competing. “I think I proved with the victory against Alcaraz at the Australian Open that I can still compete for the biggest trophies”, 

With his eyes set on the historic milestone of 100 titles, the Serbian maestro is on a mission to join the exclusive club with Roger Federer and Jimmy Connors. But could the Qatar Open in Doha be the stage where he finally seals the deal? What do you think?