“I Just Didn’t Feel Good” – Novak Djokovic Raises Health Concerns Before Cincinnati Open 2020 Finals

US Open 2020 is about to commence in 72 hours, and World Number one Novak Djokovic was busy playing an arduous tennis match against Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut in the semifinals of Cincinnati Open 2020.

It was one of the bizarre ATP matches of the 2020 season, wherein both Djokovic and Bautista had an opportunity to serve for the match in the final set. But the outcome of the match was decided in the tiebreak.

The Spanish warrior Bautista played some phenomenal tennis with pitch-perfect forehands and backhands. However, it was the Serbian Maestro sealing his victory 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(7-0) in the Cincinnati’s semifinals.

Novak Djokovic seems unfit to play finals

Right after the match, Novak confessed he was not feeling 100 percent fit while playing against Bautista. Also, in the middle of the match, he took medical timeouts to treat his stomach and neck issues that were bothering his play.

“Very strange match I must say. I don’t know how I won it, to be honest, he was the better player. I just didn’t feel good on the court at all, in any aspect, of my game and the body but somehow I managed to pull this one through,” Novak Djokovic mentioned during the on-court interview right after his win.

On hard-courts, Novak previously won against Roberto at US Open 2015. Five years later the Serbian found his first hard-court victory over the Spanish player. Before this thrilling match, Bautista Agut was on a three-match winning streak on hard-courts against 17-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic.

With his match win, Djokovic earned 240 ATP points as last year he lost to Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals, and this year the Serb makes a better run in the tournament.

On Sunday, if Novak defeats Milos Raonic in the finals, he will be owning all Masters titles at least twice in his career. Previously, he won Cincinnati Open in 2018 after beating Roger Federer in the finals. With that achievement, he attained the Big Title Swipe (having won all 14 elite titles of tennis at least once).