Paris: Novak Djokovic is once more facing a career crisis as the Serbian said Tuesday he doesn’t know whether he will play the grass court season at all including Wimbledon.
The Serb, three-time a Wimbledon champion, appeared distraught after his quarterfinal defeat by unseeded Marco Cecchinato in which he was treated for neck pain.
“I don’t know if I’m going to play on grass,” Djokovic, who won the last of his 12 Grand Slam titles here two years ago, told reporters, crowded into a small interview room after he declined the opportunity to use a much larger one.
When pressed on whether that meant he would not play at Wimbledon, the 31-year-old Serb was non-committal. “I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I just came from the court. Sorry, guys, I can’t give you that answer. I cannot give you any answer.”
Since winning the French Open in 2016, the Serbian’s career stats do look grim. The last time he made it to the semifinals of a Grand Slam was at the 2016 US Open. After the French Open victory he has won just four ATP tour titles.
“It is difficult. Many things in life are difficult,” contemplated Djokovic sitting in a small room crowded with reporters. “Any defeat is difficult in the Grand Slams, especially the one that, you know, came from months of buildup. And I thought I had a great chance to get at least a step further, but wasn’t to be. That’s the way it is.”
Djokovic, who came to Paris with his lowest seeding since 2006 however, had looked good before his defeat Tuesday. He had just lost one set en route to the quarterfinals. Asked if he was back, however, Djokovic was blunt.
“I am back in the locker room. That’s where I’m back,” said the 2016 French Open champion.
“At this moment, I honestly don’t know whether I will play Wimbledon or not. I don’t have an answer. But I may give the grass court season a miss”
Novak Djokovic