***UPDATE 7/26/17***
Novak Djokovic announced he will miss the remainder of the 2017 season to rehab his right elbow injury, meaning he’s out for the US Open Aug. 28-Sept. 10.
“All the doctors I’ve consulted, and all the specialists I have visited, in Serbia and all over the world, have agreed that this injury requires rest. A prolonged break from the sport is inevitable. I’ll do whatever it takes to recover. I will use the upcoming period to strengthen my body and also to improve certain tennis elements that I have not been able to work on over the past years, due to a demanding schedule. Five months may seem long from this point, but I’m sure they will pass quickly because there is so much I want to do. Another important moment is coming, we will become parents for a second time. My wife Jelena and I are expecting our second child, and we are preparing to welcome a new family member. These are things that fill me with greatest happiness and delight. I’m confident I will be ready for start of the new season,“ Djokovic said.
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Two-time US Open champion Novak Djokovic is “99 percent” likely to miss the upcoming US Open, according to a report from Serbia’s Sports Journal.
The report quoted Zdenko Milinkovic, a medical doctor and orthopedic surgeon, as saying Djokovic will need to miss 6-12 weeks because of a right elbow injury that led to him retiring in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon against Sam Querrey.
“The next review will know whether this assessment stays or changes. During this period, he will not bother to train with a racket, but he will run other segments, such as fitness and the like. Of course, he will have some therapies, “Milinković told Sport Journal, according to Google Translate.
“Symptoms are calming down, he was with a specialist at Toronto, on additional tests. He also consulted our experts, of course, as well, because we are excellent friends. Now it’s important to sleep with different types of procedures that can affect your recovery and calming your disability. Operation remains the ultimate option.”
After retiring against Querrey at Wimbledon, Djokovic said: “It’s not a shoulder, it’s an elbow that keeps bothering me for over a year and a half. It’s unfortunate I had to finish a Grand Slam like this. I tried from yesterday. I was able to play for 30 minutes with some pain that was bearable, but all the treatment and medicine couldn’t help.
“The serve and forehand is where it hurt,” he added. “I did everything I possibly could to make me fit. For an athlete, there’s no way out if you don’t feel fit.”
Djokovic, currently ranked No. 4 in the world, is also expected to miss Serbia’s Davis Cup semifinal with France in September. The 30-year-old Serb won the US Open in 2011 and 2015 and lost in the 2016 final to Stan Wawrinka. He has won 12 Grand Slam titles. US Open officials, meantime, are hoping for the first-ever meeting between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, potentially in the final. The US Open runs Aug. 28-Sept. 10 and the draw is set for Aug. 25. Photo: Getty Images