Djokovic sets off Wimbledon alarm bells after pulling out of match | Tennis | Sport
Novak Djokovic has pulled out of an exhibition clash with Karen Khachanov, casting speculation on his condition ahead of Wimbledon this summer. The Serbian sensation was set to take part in the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic in preparation ahead of the third Grand Slam of 2026.
However, he has withdrawn at the last minute for unknown reasons. Djokovic and Khachanov were spotted training with one another a few days ago in London and were set to play on Wednesday. But it was announced late on that Martin Damm Jr had replaced Djokovic for the match, without much of an explanation.
It has sparked concern over the 39-year-old’s condition in the build-up to Wimbledon, which is set to land on the courts of SW19 in a matter of days, running between Monday, June 29 and Sunday, July 12. A seven-time champion of the event, Djokovic remains a serious contender for the tournament, despite being in the twilight years of his career.
The tennis great is continuing his battle to defy age but has only participated in three tournaments since the Australian Open at the turn of the year, suggesting he is allowing his body time to properly recover and to reserve his form for the majors. That could explain Djokovic’s decision to pull out of Wednesday’s clash, although no concrete reason has been confirmed just yet.
In a positive turn, Djokovic was spotted training at Hurlingham this morning, signalling that he is still set to take part in next week’s competition. A 24-time Grand Slam champion, the Belgrade-born star will hope to collect an eighth title at the All England Club next month – especially with the absence of Carlos Alcaraz, who beat him in the Wimbledon final in 2023 and 2024.
It’s been a tough few years in terms of major competition for Djokovic – his last Grand Slam coming in the form of an Australian Open, French Open and US Open triple in 2023. Of course, he managed to win Olympic Gold in Paris the following year with a 7-6, 7-6 win over Carlos Alcaraz, but he will be determined to put to bed an almost three-year wait for major glory when the action gets underway at SW19.
