World No. 4 and 12-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic announced on Wednesday that he will end his 2017 season. The Serbian star has been battling a right elbow injury for 18 months and recently had to withdraw from the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.
“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,” Djokovic said on his Facebook live feed.
As a result of his prolonged absence, Djokovic will likely end 2017 ranked No. 14 in the world. The 30-year-old, who will miss the US Open next month, had previously never missed a Major event since he began playing in all four at the beginning of 2005.
