Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open for a ‘non-medical’ reason.
The Serbian star has not played a competitive match since losing in the Wimbledon semi-finals to Jannik Sinner.
Djokovic’s withdrawal from Cincinnati means he will not play a competitive match between Wimbledon and the US Open.
In fact, the 38-year-old’s last three tournaments will end up being Grand Slams when he competes at the US Open; May’s Geneva Open was the last non-Grand Slam tournament Djokovic competed in.
Despite an obvious lack of match practice heading into the US Open, Djokovic’s decision to withdraw from the Cincinnati Open is the best decision he could have made.
Calendar management is key for Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic may struggle to replicate match conditions during a period without tournament play ahead of the US Open.
However, at this stage in his career, calendar management is an extremely important element of Novak Djokovic’s preparation.
The career of a tennis player is short, and at 38 years old, Djokovic has limited time left on the ATP Tour.
Therefore, he must be careful not to over-stimulate his body, especially when considering the various small injuries he has suffered since the 2024 Olympic Games.
His great rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, both managed their calendars in the latter stages of their respective careers, allowing them to extend their careers beyond any initial expectations.
Concerns about match practise heading into the US Open are misplaced, even if he did lose in the third round last year. Djokovic is more than capable of working his way into the tournament in the earlier rounds, before demonstrating why he is a 24-time Grand Slam champion.
With an ever-expanding ATP Tour season – illustrated by the Canadian Open expansion – Djokovic must prioritise certain tournaments over others.
Ultimately, this period of relative rest for Novak Djokovic may prove to be a key factor in his hunt for a 25th Grand Slam singles title at the US Open.
How did Novak Djokovic prepare before his last Grand Slam title?
It must be noted that Novak Djokovic prepared in a different fashion during the run-up to his most recent Grand Slam title.
Djokovic’s last major win came at the 2023 US Open. In contrast to his 2025 season, Djokovic did not miss all the significant tournaments in the lead-up to the US Open.
In fact, Djokovic competed at the 2023 Cincinnati Open; his first tournament in the US since the 2021 US Open due to COVID-19 vaccination restrictions.
The 38-year-old ended up winning the entire tournament, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in a marathon final, winning 5–7 7–6 7–6.
This preparation clearly worked for Djokovic, as he went on to win the 2023 US Open. However, with his recent injury troubles and the need to work around a busy ATP schedule, Djokovic has made the right decision by withdrawing from the Cincinnati Open in 2025.
