Legendary player warns Djokovic about playing too few matches; Djokovic sends warm wishes to 2009-born youngster

Martina Navratilova recently commented on Novak Djokovic's withdrawal from the Miami Open. The 38-year-old player announced his withdrawal due to a shoulder injury just days before the start of this Masters tournament. Djokovic holds the record for the most Miami Open titles, having won six times, and he also reached the final last year, ultimately losing to Mensik.

Regarding Djokovic's withdrawal, Navratilova expressed hope for his swift return to competition and stated that he needs to play more matches to maintain peak form in Grand Slam events. The former world No. 1 said, "We haven't seen any issues with his shoulder here, but the balls used in Miami and other factors on the court can be more taxing, so it's hard to say. Hopefully he is fine and returns soon."

She added, "I think he needs to play a few more matches before major tournaments. He has played too little recently; even though he remains at the top level, I believe he needs more match practice to regain his best form."

Besides Djokovic, Raducanu, Navarro, and Barbora Krejcikova have also withdrawn from this year's Miami Open. Fery replaced the Serbian player in this ATP 1000 Masters event. Djokovic has played nine matches so far this season, winning seven. He started the new season at the Australian Open, reaching the fourth round without dropping a set. Later, due to Mensik's injury withdrawal, he advanced directly to the quarterfinals.

In the quarterfinals, Djokovic faced Musetti and was on the verge of elimination after losing the first two sets. However, the Italian player withdrew due to injury in the third set, allowing Djokovic to advance to the semifinals. In the semifinals, he faced two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner, securing his first victory against the Italian since 2023, then meeting Carlos Alcaraz in the final, where he ultimately lost.

After the Australian Open, Djokovic competed in the Indian Wells Masters, defeating Mezhak and Kovacevic to reach the fourth round. In the round of 16, he engaged in a fierce battle with Draper and ultimately lost. After announcing his withdrawal from the Miami Open, the 38-year-old's next tournament is set to be the Monte Carlo Masters, where he has won twice.

Despite not participating in the Miami Masters, Djokovic remains attentive to tennis developments. On Thursday at the Miami Open, Moez Kwame handled the pressure to secure his first ATP Tour career victory, and a post-match moment made the 17-year-old even more excited.

After becoming the youngest main draw winner in the history of this ATP 1000 Masters event, Kwame picked up his phone and saw a message from 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic—the idol he has admired since picking up a racket. "I have a little secret... after winning the match, Novak sent me a message," Kwame said in an interview after defeating Svajda 5-7 6-4 6-4. "I was so nervous, I didn't even know how to reply. He said something like: 'Great match today, congratulations, hope you go further.'"

"Maybe I should reply: 'Thank you, Novak. Thank you, my idol.' No... I really don't know what to say! Imagine your idol sending you such a private message... it's the best thing ever."

The French youngster has repeatedly expressed admiration for Djokovic, both in terms of match mentality and career goals, viewing the Serbian tennis legend as a role model. "I hope one day these dreams will become reality, and that's what I'm striving for." In the next round of the Miami Open, Kwame will face 21st seed Lehecka, their first ATP meeting, offering another opportunity to test himself at the highest level.Source: Tennis Home Author: Spark