{"id":1817784,"date":"2026-03-10T12:00:59","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T09:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1817784"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:00:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T09:00:59","slug":"novak-djokovic-makes-odd-admission-saying-he-has-been-struggling-the-last-couple-of-weeks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1817784","title":{"rendered":"Novak Djokovic makes &#8216;odd&#8217; admission saying he has been struggling &#8216;the last couple of weeks&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"ps-article-content rounded-lg lg:mt-5 lg:border lg:border-card lg:bg-card lg:shadow-primary\">\n<header>\n<h1 class=\"py-4 text-xl font-normal text-title sm:text-2xl\">Novak Djokovic makes \u2018odd\u2019 admission saying he has been struggling \u2018the last couple of weeks\u2019<\/h1>\n<div class=\"my-2 flex items-center justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/author\/shahidaj\" class=\"text-sm font-normal !text-author\"><br \/>\n                            Shahida Jacobs                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <time class=\"ml-3 text-sm font-normal text-info md:ml-4\" datetime=\"10 Mar 2026 12:00 PM\" data-ps-date=\"10 Mar 2026 12:00 PM\" data-ps-datetime=\"1773144059\"><br \/>\n                            10 Mar 2026 12:00 PM                        <\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden justify-end space-x-4 text-xl sm:flex sm:!opacity-100\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/common\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png\" alt=\"Add as a 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href=\"https:\/\/share.flipboard.com\/bookmarklet\/popout?v=2&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Fatp-tour%2Findian-wells-open-novak-djokovic-makes-odd-admission-struggling-last-couple-of-weeks\" aria-label=\"Share to flipboard\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"sm:hidden flex items-center space-x-5\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/common\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 dark:hidden h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/common\/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <button id=\"t365-article-share-btn-hidden\" class=\"mr-2 hidden h-6 w-6 appearance-none border-none !text-share-icon outline-none hover:!text-share-icon-active sm:hidden\" data-title=\"Novak Djokovic makes \u2018odd\u2019 admission saying he has been struggling \u2018the last couple of weeks\u2019\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5 border-b border-page\"><\/div>\n<section>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5\">\n<figure class=\"aspect-h-9 aspect-w-16 relative\">\n                                        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover object-center !my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/d2me2qg8dfiw8u.cloudfront.net\/content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Novak-Djokovic-plays-a-double-handed-backhand-1320x742.jpg\" alt=\"Pictured: Novak Djokovic plays a shot\">                <\/figure><figcaption class=\"flex items-center space-x-3 border-b border-mobile-caption px-3 lg:border-caption\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-1.5 break-words !text-xs !text-content\">\n                                Novak Djokovic plays a double-handed backhand                            <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"ciam-article-t365\">\n<p>Novak Djokovic booked his place in the fourth round of the Indian Wells Open, but he admitted afterwards that he is still struggling with an \u201codd\u201d injury.<\/p>\n<p>The tennis great has been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/atp-tour\/indian-wells-open-why-is-novak-djokovic-wearing-white-sleeve\">wearing a white arm sleeve<\/a> during the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in California and he looked slightly uncomfortable during several service games when he took on Aleksandar Kovacevic in the third round.<\/p>\n<p>After a routine opening set, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/novak-djokovic\">Djokovic\u2019s<\/a> serve started misfiring in the second set as Kovacevic broke in games two and six to take it to a decider, but the world No 3 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/novak-djokovic-survives-huge-indian-wells-scare-as-star-overcomes-physical-concerns\">regained his rhythm to claim a 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 win<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Djokovic \u2013 who previously revealed that he was wearing an arm sleeve as it helps speed up injury and recovery \u2013 told Tennis Channel: \u201cI\u2019ve been struggling the last couple of weeks with that forearm and trying to go through it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a bit odd: The more I serve, the better I feel, but then it comes on and off if I get cold.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf I don\u2019t serve for five or six minutes then I feel like the first couple of serves of that game are a bit painful. I\u2019m working through it. It\u2019s not something I haven\u2019t faced before. It\u2019s the ins and outs of being a tennis player at this level, but overall the body is feeling okay. Hopefully it\u2019s going to get better every day.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Novak Djokovic News<\/h2>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/novak-djokovic-jack-draper-indian-wells-clash\">Why Novak Djokovic\u2019s next match at Indian Wells will provide a big pointer for both players<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/novak-djokovic-grand-slam-record-warning\">Novak Djokovic told he is \u2018a long way\u2019 from winning record breaking 25th Grand Slam title<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Indian Wells Open is Djokovic\u2019s first tournament since he lost in the final of the Australian Open against Carlos Alcaraz on February 1.<\/p>\n<p>And the 38-year-old will have time to rest up after his three-setter against Kovacevic as he will next be in action on Wednesday when he faces defending champion Jack Draper.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m trying to manage my body and my mental state on a daily basis so that I can be peaking as much as I possibly can on a given day,\u201d the 24-time Grand Slam winner said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThen, of course, there is a challenge and obstacle across the net. It\u2019s not going to get easier from here\u2026 Jack Draper is next, who is the defending champ and playing at a really high level again, but I love the challenge.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat is one of the biggest reasons why I am still here and competing with these young guys. I want to see how they beat me \u2014 if they can \u2014 and that drives me every day to get better and prove to myself and others that I can still play at a high level.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Novak Djokovic makes \u2018odd\u2019 admission saying he has been struggling \u2018the last couple of weeks\u2019 Shahida Jacobs 10 Mar 2026 12:00 PM Novak Djokovic plays a double-handed backhand Novak Djokovic booked his place in the fourth round of the Indian Wells Open, but he admitted afterwards that he is still struggling with an \u201codd\u201d injury. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,249],"class_list":["post-1817784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tennis365-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1817784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1817784"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1817784\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1817784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1817784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1817784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}