Novak Djokovic has raised new injury concerns just hours before his Monte-Carlo Masters opener, after being spotted clutching his arm during a practice session. The Serbian star, who is seeded third in the tournament, required assistance from his physio while training on Wednesday morning.
Djokovic, 37, is scheduled to face Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo in his opening match on Court Rainier III. Cameras caught him visibly in discomfort, grabbing his right forearm and placing his racket down before receiving treatment from a member of his team.
“Here is Novak Djokovic who is being looked after by his physio,” commentator Nick Lester noted during the broadcast. “Of course, he’s had some problems with his eye over the last few weeks… It’s a cool day, and that doesn’t help the body either.”
This incident comes after Djokovic revealed he was battling an eye infection and a mild viral illness leading up to the tournament. Although he confirmed earlier this week that his condition had improved, he admitted it had cast doubt on his participation in Monte-Carlo.
“It’s not ideal,” Djokovic said. “Particularly because of the infection of the eye and a little bit of a viral infection I’ve been dealing with last week… but it seems to be okay these days.”
The 24-time Grand Slam champion previously struggled with eye irritation during the Miami Open final, where he was seen using eye drops on court. Despite not offering detailed explanations post-match, he acknowledged the issue affected his performance.
Signs of the eye infection were still visible during Sunday’s press appearance, with redness and swelling apparent. However, Wednesday marked the first visible indication of a forearm issue, raising new questions about his fitness heading into the clay season.
Djokovic is returning to action for the first time since his Miami final loss to Jakub Mensik. As a two-time champion in Monte-Carlo, he received a bye into the second round.
He will also be looking for revenge against Tabilo, who defeated him in their only previous meeting at the Rome Masters last year.
