Djokovic sets off alarms before Wimbledon

Pedro de Pablos | 24 Jun 2026 | 12.25

Djokovic sounds the alarm before Wimbledon. Source: Getty Images.

Streaming M25 Brussels live tennis

🎾 Justas Trainauskas vs Olle Wallin

Sign up with Bet365 here
Make your first deposit of at least €5
Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

Novak Djokovic has set off alarms before Wimbledon 2026. The Serbian tennis player was planning to participate in the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic to gain momentum for the third Grand Slam of the year, but he withdrew last minute from his match against Karen Khachanov for reasons that are still unknown.

Djokovic and Khachanov had been training together a few days ago on the grass in London, and they were scheduled to face each other this Wednesday in an exhibition tournament where other players like Jannik Sinner, Ben Shelton, or Casper Ruud will also be present. However, without explaining the reasons, it has been announced that ultimately Martin Damm Jr. will be the one to face Karen on Wednesday afternoon, raising doubts about the physical condition of the Serbian player.

Djokovic is one of the top favorites to win Wimbledon if his body responds, given that he is a seven-time champion of the tournament. However, the reality is that he plays fewer matches each year and his physical condition is causing more problems. It is worth noting that last year he was already playing at a high level in the All England Club, but a slip in his match against Flavio Cobolli left him too weakened for the semifinals against Jannik Sinner, who outperformed him.

Djokovic's main enemy is his body

After a very promising start of the year at the Australian Open, where he defeated Sinner in the semifinals and put up a fight against Carlos Alcaraz in the final, many thought this could be the year of the 25th Grand Slam for the Serbian player. However, his body couldn't cope, and he has barely participated in three tournaments since then: the Indian Wells Masters 1000 (reached the round of 16), the Rome Masters 1000 (lost in the first round), and Roland Garros.

In Paris, with the absence of Carlos Alcaraz due to a wrist injury and Jannik Sinner's defeat with physical issues in the second round, all eyes were on Djokovic. However, in the first two rounds of the tournament, he dropped sets against Perricard and Royer, losing in the third round to Joao Fonseca after winning the first two sets. Nole tried his best, but in the fifth set, it was clear he couldn't continue in the final games.

The encouraging sight of Djokovic

Since then, Novak has not played any matches, so the match against Khachanov could have been a good opportunity to get in touch with the game to arrive at Wimbledon with better sensations, a tournament he dominates. However, he has decided to withdraw without giving explanations (for now), creating more uncertainty about his status and the possibility of having suffered some physical setback.

Novak Djokovic is here, too. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Tmbk5VdkLf

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) June 24, 2026

The good news is that journalist Ben Rothenberg has posted a video of him training this morning, so it seems that everything is fine at first glance. At least he is well enough to train, which is all we know so far. Therefore, it is best to assume he has made this decision for a reason unrelated to his physical condition, and his aspirations in Wimbledon are not at risk, as he and Jannik Sinner will be the two rivals to beat.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Djokovic enciende las alarmas antes de Wimbledon

ATP