“I still have a burning flame and a desire to achieve”: Novak Djokovic uses injury scare as fuel to his fire in Doha

Novak Djokovic has provided a promising update on his recovery, confirming his return to competition earlier than expected at next week’s Qatar Open.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion has received medical clearance and traveled to Qatar ahead of schedule to assess his fitness, having had limited training since retiring from the Australian Open semi-finals due to a thigh muscle rupture.

Now, feeling rejuvenated and ready to compete, Djokovic is focused on securing his long-awaited 100th career title.

After an intense 83-minute opening set against Alexander Zverev in Melbourne, Djokovic was forced to withdraw and later shared an MRI scan revealing the extent of his injury. Remarkably, just three weeks later, he is back and prepared to resume competition.

“There is no more rupture in the muscle, the injury is almost 100 per cent repaired, and I am ready to go for new victories,” he told Vijesti.

“I have the green light from the medical team to train and prepare. The tournament in Doha is scheduled for seven days, so I’m sticking to the plan. Thank God, I was able to recover quickly.”

Acknowledging the increasing challenges of staying injury-free as he ages, Djokovic remains confident in his ability to compete at the highest level.

“I’ve had more injuries lately than I did in the first 15 years of my career. This probably comes with age, but my body still listens to me. I still have a burning flame and a desire to achieve and reach new milestones.”

One of those milestones is his 100th ATP title, a feat he has been chasing since winning No. 99 last summer.

“I hope the 100th trophy can come in Doha,” he continued. “I’ve been chasing it for a long time, since last October. But it will come when it’s meant to.”