Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner Drop Bombshell Update Days After Wimbledon

“Do I wish to play more? Yes, I do.” After his Roland Garros exit, Novak Djokovic cleared his future. However, Wimbledon had taken some heavy toll on the future HOFer. It wasn’t losing the semifinals to Jannik Sinner. It was the fall in the QF against Flavio Cobolli. Then, just two points away from his record 14th Wimbledon SF appearance, the Serb tried to go for a forehand but twisted his leg awkwardly. 

While he was able to get back up after a “nasty” slip and win over Cobolli, he knew, “Obviously, [my] body is not the same today like it was before, so I guess the real impact or effect of what happened I will feel tomorrow.” On the other hand, Sinner didn’t have the smoothest road to victory on the grass court major either. In the first game of the match of his round-four clash against Grigor Dimitrov, the eventual champion landed on his extended right arm while reaching for a deep backhand for a potentially damaging injury.

Eventually, he had to take a medical timeout after five games of the second set. Sinner ultimately made it to the winners’ circle after Dimitrov retired. But his right arm was sleeved—the discomfort was visible. The two, Sinner and Djokovic, then met in the semifinals clash where the Italian took lead on the Serb in straight 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 sets win. Now with the SW19 chapter closed, they believe the story must go on. However, their body and doctors are clearly not aligning with them in the latest update for the National Bank Open.

On Sunday, fans braced for the return of the Italian and the Serb, in Canada at the National Bank Open, but the organizers dropped a bombshell: “Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic have been forced to withdraw from the 2025 National Bank Open in Toronto as they recover following Wimbledon.” The two players really did give it their all, so is this a surprise?

Let’s not forget, both Wimbledon semifinalists had troubles of their own during their campaigns. While they pushed themselves, showing resilience at its finest, it has finally taken a toll. However, the “disappointment” of skipping the tournament this year is there as Sinner, who won the 2023 National Bank Open, mentioned:

“I’m really disappointed to be missing the National Bank Open in Toronto, especially as I have such fond memories of playing in Canada. Winning that title in Toronto two years ago was the start of a really special moment for me, but after speaking with my team, I have to recover,” he said. What about Nole?

Djokovic, who won the National Bank Open four times, looked strong at Wimbledon until his quarterfinal against Cobolli. At the time, he sounded hopeful about the recovery. “You’re expected to fall and have this kind of situation, so it did come at an awkward moment, but somehow I managed to find a good serve and pull it out. Obviously, I’m gonna visit this subject now with my physio, and hopefully, I’ll be well in two days.” 

Novak would have been excited about returning to the Canadian Open, which would have been his first appearance since 2016. But it seems the injury has lasted longer than he expected, and it’s not without consequences. However, after being defeated by Sinner, Novak was left disappointed at being unable to get his hands on the eluded 25th major title. Although the Italian was quite aware of his opponent’s injury during their match.

Top Comment by sammyxviii

I don’t understand how this tennis column can keep making obvious mistakes. Djokovic didn’t play Rublev, as it states in...more

Share your take

Debate

Jannik Sinner reveals Novak’s discomfort during the semifinals

On July 11, the World No.1 blitzed past Novak Djokovic in straight sets—6-3, 6-3, 6-4—to reach his first Wimbledon final. Despite the crushing win, Sinner showed respect for Djokovic’s tough situation. “From my side, I served very well today. I felt great on court. I was moving much better today,” Jannik said. But he didn’t ignore Nole’s pain: “I think we all saw, especially in the third set, that he was a bit injured. He fell in the last couple of points in the quarterfinals, and he’s been in a very difficult situation.”

Djokovic’s injury drama started on Thursday in the quarterfinals against Flavio Cobolli. Down 1-4 in the fourth set, Novak mounted a fierce comeback—until a slippery patch on the grass sent him into an awkward split. He collapsed in visible discomfort and skipped practice the next day, sparking concerns over a hip or groin injury. “It was a nasty fall. It was very awkward. That happens on grass. I’ve had quite a few of those throughout my grass-court career. Obviously, [my] body is not the same today like it was before,” Djokovic admitted after the match.

True to form, Djokovic vowed to fight through the pain. “I’m hoping the next 24, 48 hours, the severity of what happened is not too bad, that I’ll be able to play at my best and free of pain,” he said. But when he faced Jannik Sinner in the semifinals just hours later, fans noticed the limp after the first set.

Meanwhile, Sinner kept his cool and focused. “I tried to stay calm, tried to play the best tennis I can, especially in the important moments, which today I felt like I was playing great. So, I’m very happy about my performance, and, yeah, let’s see what’s coming now in the final,” he said.

With Sinner now crowned Wimbledon champion and breaking Alcaraz’s 24-match streak, both stars have since withdrawn from the National Bank Open. It’s hard to say how they’ll return from these battles, but maybe this will ignite a new fire to chase even bigger goals. What do you think—will these fierce rivals come back stronger? Share your thoughts below!