Novak Djokovic withdraws from ATP Cincinnati Masters due to 'taxing' journey

Novak Djokovic will try and keep his quest of winning the Grand Slam in one year after failing to win the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

Novak Djokovic in a file photo; Credit: Twitter
By Nilavro Ghosh | Aug 10, 2021 | 3 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Top-seeded tennis star Novak Djokovic withdrew from the ATP Cincinnati Masters on Monday. The Serbian said that he needed more time to recover after what was a taxing Tokyo Olympics. Djokovic is currently tied for the all-time men’s record at 20 Grand Slam victories alongside Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. The Serbian will have a chance to create history in the US Open. He will be aiming to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1960 to win all four major Grand Slams in a single calendar year. That could be the one thing that separates him from the other two greats of his generation, Federer and Nadal. That, however, is easier said than done.

The Serbian failed to win the Golden Grand Slam after falling short for the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. He looked on course to win the medal for himself and Serbia but just came up short in the semi-final. Djokovic was beaten by Alexander Zverev of Germany. He faced Pablo Carreno Busta in the bronze medal match. Unfortunately for Novak Djokovic, he failed to win that match as well. The losses at the Games effected his mental health.

Withdrawing due to mental health

“I am taking a bit longer to recover and recuperate after quite a taxing journey from Australia to Tokyo,” the Serbian posted on his social media platforms on Monday. “Sadly, that means I won’t be ready to compete in Cincinnati this year so I’ll turn my focus and attention to US Open and spend some more time with family. See you in New York soon,” he added.

The Serbian has tasted success at the Cincinnati Masters twice, the most recent being last year. Although Djokovic will not be a part of the tournament, there will be other big names like Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev, Marin Cilic, Grigor Dimitrov, and Andy Murray.

FORGETTABLE TIME AT TOKYO for Novak Djokovic

The Olympics is probably something Djokovic would like to get off his mind as soon as possible. This year was supposed to be the one where the Serbian creates history and wins a Golden Grand Slam. Looking at his age, it is doubtful whether he will take part in the next Olympics or if he will be good enough to compete for all four Grand Slams and the Olympics gold. With the likes of Nadal and Federer out of the reckoning, the field eased up just a bit for the Serbian to bag the gold medal.

Things did not quite go to plan as was knocked out in the semi-final stage of the Games by Zverev. It must have been extremely painful to accept but Djokovic still had a chance to win the bronze medal. However, Pablo Carreno Busta pulled off a major upset as he beat the world number 1. It was in this match that Djokovic lost his cool. He hurled a racquet into the empty stands and smashed another one against the net post. It was all too similar a sight for those who have witnessed the Serbian lose his cool on several occasions earlier.





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