No tennis enthusiast can imagine the sport without Novak Djokovic. The Serb legend, known for his relentless spirit, is gearing up to return to the tennis court after a medical hiatus. As he prepares for his highly anticipated comeback, Djokovic is expected to make some difficult decisions to prolong his journey and enhance his career longevity on the courts. And his recent decisions depict the careful precautions he is taking amid his recovery. 

With the Paris Olympics coming close, Novak Djokovic has decided to play only in the singles segment of the tournament, per Danas. This decision is in contrast to his arch-rival Rafael Nadal, who will play singles as well as doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz. Meanwhile, the decision of the Serb not only demonstrates his precautionary calls but also his desire to not make mistakes similar to that of the 2020 Olympics. 

Nole played the Tokyo Olympics in two segments: singles as well as mixed doubles alongside Nina Stojanovic. However, the dual challenges seemed to break down the tennis legend physically. He finished both segments at no. 4 after suffering from fatigue. Former World No. 1 Novak Djokovic lost in the men’s singles bronze medal match. His match against Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta continued for two hours and 47 minutes when the Serb lost 6-4, 6-7, 6-3. He looked clearly exhausted in the match, which was reciprocated in his actions as well.

Early in the second set, the exhausted-looking Djokovic threw his racket into the empty stands in frustration. He later smashed a racket as well. Meanwhile, his physical difficulties increased as he failed to participate in the mixed-doubles quarterfinals following a shoulder injury. Now that he is recovering from yet another injury, he seems to be taking calculated steps.

Novak Djokovic has been out of the courts since his campaign at Roland Garros. The 37-year-old tore the medial meniscus in his right knee during his five-set last 16 victory against Francisco Cerundolo at Roland Garros. He announced his decision and went for surgery on June 5. Meanwhile, as he prepares for his return, the tennis community is expecting him to roar back again. 

‘Don’t discount Novak Djokovic..’ Former Tennis player’s stringent advice to players

Two weeks after Nole went for surgery, Djokovic was seen hitting the court again. In a video that he shared on his Instagram handle, the Serb can be seen preparing for the upcoming ventures of the season. Meanwhile, former World No. 4 Greg Rusedski has warned the players of Nole’s return.

Speaking at a ‘Pickleball Slam’ event in Kingston-upon-Thames, Rusedski said that the tennis legend should not be ruled out of contention. “I think it’s [Sinner vs Alcaraz] going to be the rivalry for the future. They’re one and two in the world, Sinner’s No. 1 – but don’t discount Novak Djokovic.” He said that he faced similar challenges but believed in Djokovic’s resilience.

“A meniscus tear, I had one myself this year and I’m older, so it took me a while to get over it, but he might be back in time for the Olympics and I hear he’s super hungry, he wants to play for a few more years.” Elaborating further, he emphasized the potential that the 24-time Grand Slam champion has. “Don’t discount Novak – let’s not forget that last year he won three of the four majors and was in the final of Wimbledon.”

As Djokovic takes a bold ahead of the Olympics, it will be interesting to see if he can outshine his past performances and win his first Gold medal in Paris.