Novak Djokovic has bone bruise; unlikely to play US Open

Courtesy: Reuters

New Delhi: Former world number one Novak Djokovic might not be able to feature in the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year - US Open, said Tennis Federation of Serbia’s doctor Zdeslav Milinkovic.

Djokovic got injured during his Wimbledon 2017 quarter-final clash against Tomas Berdych on July 12 as the Serb hit his forehand wide and into the tramlines.

The situation got so bad that the 30-year-old had to surrender midway into the match and later said his elbow injury prevented him from completing the contest. 

After a thorough diagnosis, the reports suggests that Djoker's return for the Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows looks extremely unlikely.

According to Milinkovic, Novak is suffering from a bone bruise which is a case of “excessive play” and it needs a rest of between a month-and-a-half to three months. The doctor further said the symptoms are declining but Djokovic would still need rehab on his injured elbow that also saw him miss out on competing at Miami Masters. 

The Serbian is still trying to avoid injury, the doctor told newspaper Sportski Zurnal.

"Symptoms have calmed down, he was with a specialist in Toronto for additional tests,” Milinkovic said. 

"He also consulted our experts. Now it’s important to look at the different types of procedures that can affect recovery."

“He has a bruised bone due to excessive playing. He did not have enough of a pause, Novak clenched his teeth and continued playing despite a serious injury. It was always a big concern for me as his friend,” Milinkovic said.

Djokovic is due to address the media at Belgrade this week where he could cut down on his tournament commitments for the next few weeks.