It’s an odd time to be Novak Djokovic. On the one hand, he’s undoubtedly the third best player in the world, capable of fending off nearly anyone from the ATP Tour. On the other, the gulf between him and the two players above him, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, seems too wide to cross. 4 Grand Slam semifinals, 4 semifinals lost to either Sinner or Alcaraz, barring one (a semifinal retirement in Australia vs. Alexander Zverev). At the US Open the Serb threw it all on the court and tried everything he could, but just couldn’t overcome the energy and stamina of Alcaraz. And so the wait for an elusive 25th Grand Slam title continued. However, this wasn’t the only bad news for Djokovic fans after his disappointing US Open exit. The Serb recently withdrew from the Davis Cup and left the fans with question marks over his future.

Serbia was up against Turkey in the World Group 1 tie. Initially, Djokovic was slated to play in the tie and lead his country’s charge there. However, Djokovic decided to give the tie a miss, despite the fact that he had expressed his desire to continue representing his country at the tournament. That said, his withdrawal isn’t surprising, as it follows a larger pattern of Djokovic choosing to skip tournaments in order to keep himself fit for the Slams this season.

Nonetheless, Djokovic hasn’t given up on the Davis Cup and hopes to come back stronger next year. During an interview, he said, “I wished I could have played the Davis Cup. Representing my country throughout my career has been an honor and a privilege. I always look forward to playing for Serbia, but it all depends on my body, as I want to be the best option for our team. I hope we can pass Turkey and play in the World group next year, we deserve that. The Davis Cup changes made me happy, as we have more opportunities to compete at home.”

He added, “The tie against Greece aside, I have not played in front of the home crowd for seven years. I miss that feeling and wish to get at least one more chance to wear the national jersey in front of our fans.”

Moreover, the Davis Cup isn’t the only tournament that Djokovic is giving a miss after a hectic US Open campaign. The Serb is also set to miss the Laver Cup. While there were major doubts about when Djokovic would return to the court, the Serb broke his silence on this matter.

Novak Djokovic identifies his next tournament

It was a grueling US Open campaign for Djokovic, as he had to dig deep in almost every match to progress through. Even as his run ended in the semifinals, Djokovic ran out of gas, and at 38, he was feeling the effects of fatigue. Thus, he instantly withdrew from his upcoming tournaments like the Davis Cup and the Laver Cup. During an interview, Djokovic hinted at when he will be back in action.

Djokovic said, “I’m planning to play the Athens tournament. That’s for sure. But other than that, it’s really still a question mark.” Djokovic even admitted that the best-of-five format at Grand Slams took a toll on his body and that he is finding it increasingly difficult to sustain the momentum in the majors.

According to what Djokovic has said, he won’t be seen in action until the start of November, when the ATP 250 event in Athens takes place. But before that in October, he’s slated to participate in the Six Kings Slam exhibition event in Saudi Arabia alongside Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev, and Jack Draper.

Will Djokovic’s carefully planned schedule help him secure that 25th title? Or is it a sign of a storied career winding down to its final chapter? Let us know your views in the comments below.