Djokovic pulls out of Adelaide

Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the Adelaide International 2026, an ATP 250 tournament scheduled for January 12-17 at Memorial Drive Tennis Centre in Australia. 

The 38-year-old world number four announced his decision on Monday via social media, explaining he remains “not quite physically ready” for competitive play. 

Tournament organisers had, in December, welcomed his participation, pairing him with entrants like Jack Draper, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Tommy Paul, and Jiri Lehecka.

Djokovic described the choice as “personally very disappointing,” referencing his history at the event, where he captured the 2023 title. 

He noted the venue felt “like playing at home” and now turns full attention to the Australian Open, which begins January 18 in Melbourne. 

The 24-time Grand Slam winner enters the year following a challenging 2025, where his gameplay was marred by physical setbacks.

In November, a shoulder problem sidelined him from the ATP Finals, his second consecutive absence from the season finale. 

He retired during the Australian Open semifinals earlier in January with a muscle tear against Alexander Zverev and paused for treatment at the US Open in August. 

A left leg issue and heat exhaustion arose in October during his Shanghai Masters victory over Jaume Munar.

The Adelaide event acts as a primary tune-up for Melbourne, where Djokovic holds a record 10 titles across 24 outings, though recent semifinals ended his runs. Felix Auger-Aliassime claimed the 2025 crown but sits out this edition. 

Djokovic’s addition had improved the quality of the draw, now anchored by top-10 contender Draper and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

This latest update is coming a day after the former world number one announced his decision to leave the Professional Tennis Players Association, which he co-founded, amid leadership disputes, choosing to focus on the sport alone.

He would now be entering the first grand slam of the year with no prior warm-up at any event. While this should not be a challenge for the Serbian, given his previous performances at the Australian Open, it would be interesting to see how he manages himself at almost 39 years old.