Novak Djokovic appears to be trending toward competing in Dubai, per Sasa Ozmo.
Marco Panichi, Novak #Djokovic’s fitness coach, said during an Instagram live that he is coming tomorrow to Belgrade to prepare for the next tournament. Probably means that Djokovic is close to playing in Dubai.
— Saša Ozmo (@ozmo_sasa) February 12, 2023
Djokovic, 35, last played at the Australian Open, where he captured his 22nd Grand Slam title.
During the Australian Open, Djokovic was hampered by a hamstring injury.
Before the start of the Australian Open, Djokovic was confirmed as a Dubai participant.
The Dubai event is kicking off on February 27th and it seems it will be Djokovic’s first tournament since the Australian Open.
Djokovic on playing in Dubai
In Dubai, Djokovic has had success throughout his career as he is a five-time champion at the tournament.
“It’s always exciting to be back in Dubai. The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is a special event for me. I have a long history with the championship and have been fortunate to play some great matches in front of the crowd at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. I can’t wait to play there again,” Djokovic said after signing up to play Dubai, per Arab News.
In January, the Dubai organizers also announced Rafael Nadal as a participant in the men’s event and Ons Jabeur as a participant in the women’s event, respectively.
Unfortunately, Jabeur has already pulled out of Dubai while Nadal is also expected to miss the tournament.
However, the tournament will still probably have Djokovic.
“Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships fans expect the best. To have Ons Jabeur, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, all three household names and crowd favorites here, is a clear demonstration that this year’s championship is shaping up to be one of the most memorable in recent memory. We look forward to announcing the full fields for both the WTA and ATP championships very soon and we look forward to hosting another exceptional championship fortnight,” Dubai tournament director Salah Tahlak said after Djokovic was confirmed for the tournament.
It remains to be seen if we will witness Djokovic’s sixth Dubai win this year.