Djokovic reveals his short-term plans and what his current health status is

Carlos Navarro - 26 Oct 2026 | 12:51
Novak Djokovic ATP ATP Basilea 2026

The Serbian spoke before starting his adventure in Basel and outlined his next roadmap, explained the reasons why he wants to be in Turin, and provided an update on his health.

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Djokovic returns to action in Basel.

Novak Djokovic faces the final stretch of the season with a motivation that has not existed in the last two seasons: to compete in the ATP Finals 2026. The Serbian's path to finish the year among the top eight in the world begins at the ATP Basel 2026, a date marked in red on his calendar after the postponement of the Six Kings Slam. Currently sitting almost 300 points away from the cutoff marker, Rafa Jódar, Nole knows that either his best version shows up in the next two tournaments, or his season will come to an end sooner than he would like.

That being said, the Belgrade native has a clear and well-defined roadmap. We are not only talking about his path for this end of the season: the Serbian is already thinking about 2027 and how to tackle the Australian Open. He discussed all of this in a chat with Sportal from his country, where he had several training sessions with names like Dusan Lajovic and Laslo Djere before heading into the last tour of the season.

Djokovic reveals his short-term intentions and updates on his health status

Why did he ultimately decide to compete in Basel? What goals does he have in the near future, and what events are on his horizon? The Serbian provided answers to all these questions, also discussing the motivation, this year indeed, to be in the season-ending tournament. "It's been a long time since I played in Basel, but my schedule has changed. They postponed the tournament in Saudi Arabia that I was supposed to play, so I had an extra week off. I'm playing well, feeling good. Not in the way I would like yet, but competitive for Basel."

Regarding the ATP Finals, I made different decisions in the last two years. In 2024, I wanted to end the season earlier, in mid-October. Last year I had a shoulder injury: when I finished the tournament in Athens, one or two days before Turin started, the results showed an injury in the muscles of my shoulder, so I decided not to play. If I had been healthy, I probably would have attended, but I was heavily medicated to finish the tournament in Athens.", stated Djokovic, recalling his odyssey to end last season with a title in his new home, where he defeated Lorenzo Musetti in the final.

One of the reasons why Nole did not hesitate to add a new tournament to his calendar, he notes, is the surface and the conditions in which it is held. "I would like to go to Turin; we will see what happens. It has been easier for me to add a tournament now because it will be easier for me physically: there’s no heat, no sun, no external factors like when we play outdoors.", affirmed Novak emphatically.

Delving into this thread means discussing the constant physical problems that have plagued his season and which he has mentioned at various points throughout the year. After showcasing a very good form in the Asian tour, where he achieved a commendable title in Beijing, how does he feel physically? Is he tired of those who ventured to suggest retirement after poor results in the United States?

"I've made quite a bit of progress physically and we're heading in the right direction. Not everything is at 100% yet, but we're very close. We're not going to talk about this anymore.", says a Djokovic tired of centering the conversation on a topic that has been repeatedly discussed in his recent appearances. "As long as there are people, there will be speculation. It's in people's nature, everywhere. People like to criticize, to judge, always with insufficient information, but it’s something I don’t pay attention to. It doesn't bother or anger me, far from it. Other things bother me, much more important things.", emphasized Novak, downplaying the voices that dare to speculate on his retirement.

Finally, the Serbian also spoke about his medium-term plans, confirming that he will be, if conflicts in the Middle East allow it, at the new date of the Six Kings Slam: "I'm going to play the exhibition of the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia. For next season, I know 100% that I will be in Australia, and I’ll see whether I play a tournament before Australia or not. I will decide this in accordance with the team. Right now, the focus is on finishing the season as best as possible." In just one day, a new chapter begins in a busy 2026, with eyes set on Turin. Will the jackal succeed?

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Djokovic desvela sus planes a corto plazo y cuál es su actual estado de salud