Tennis legend Novak Djokovic said on Monday that his leg injury, which cut short his Australian Open run, is "almost fully healed," and he is ready to compete for his upcoming 100th ATP title in Doha this month.
During an interview Djokovic said,"There’s no more muscle tear. The injury is nearly 100 percent healed, and I’m ready for more victories," Djokovic told Montenegrin newspaper Vijesti. "The medical team has given me the green light to train and prepare."
"The Doha tournament is in seven days, and I’m sticking to my schedule. I’ve been chasing my 100th ATP title since last October, but it will happen when the time is right," said the Serbian player, now ranked seventh in the world.
"I’m grateful to have recovered quickly. I’ve had more injuries recently compared to the first 15 years of my career. Maybe it’s due to age, but my body is still holding up well, and I still have the passion and desire to compete."
The former world number one had to pull out of the French Open quarter-finals last year due to a right knee injury that required meniscus surgery. His bid for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open ended when he was forced to retire after losing the first set to Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals.
The 37-year-old had already been struggling with the injury during his quarter-final victory over Carlos Alcaraz. Now, Djokovic is set to return for the Qatar Open on February 17, aiming to join Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer in the elite 100 ATP titles club.