Novak Djokovic has addressed concerns after a video surfaced of him limping following his Qatar Open exit. The world No. 7 suffered a first-round loss at last month’s Doha ATP 500 and was later seen struggling at the airport, sparking fears that he had not fully recovered from the thigh injury that forced him to retire from the Australian Open in January.
Now back in action at the Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells—his first tournament since Doha—Djokovic has clarified the situation. The Serb, who has not won a match since beating Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open quarter-finals, is hoping to regain his form in the Californian desert.
Djokovic’s injury troubles began during his clash with Alcaraz, leading him to retire from his semi-final against Alexander Zverev. He subsequently skipped Serbia’s Davis Cup tie and made a disappointing return at the Qatar Open in February, where he fell to Matteo Berrettini in the first round.
Before his Doha appearance, Djokovic had assured fans that his thigh injury was fully healed. However, concerns resurfaced after his early exit and the footage of him limping through the airport. Some speculated that his injury had flared up again, but the 24-time Grand Slam champion has now provided an explanation.
“Yeah, I saw that. No, it was something different, actually. It was not an injury. The injury is behind me,” the five-time Indian Wells champion clarified.
“I mean, hopefully. I haven’t felt any problems prior to Doha, and by the end of the tournament, I felt completely fine, as I have in the lead-up to Indian Wells and during my training weeks.
“It was really awkward to see that video because I arrived at the airport and hit myself really badly as I was walking out. It was very early—around 4 or 5 am—and I was just limping because I had hurt my ankle. That’s all. It was just a hit, nothing else. But then people connected it to my previous injury and assumed it was something escalating.”
With that issue put to rest, Djokovic is now focused on the upcoming Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami, collectively known as the ‘Sunshine Double.’ The Miami Open will mark his first appearance there since 2019.
“But anyway, I’m feeling good. I was really looking forward to coming to Indian Wells and Miami this year,” he said. “I’ll be playing the Sunshine Double for the first time in six years, so I’m excited.
“I haven’t performed particularly well in Indian Wells and Miami since 2016 or 2017, and I’ve struggled to find my best game here. I know I’m not getting any younger.
“But I definitely aim to go deep in the tournament. I believe I’ve done the right things in preparation, and I’ve been playing some good tennis these days. So let’s see how far I can go.”
