Novak Djokovic has firmly rejected injury rumours that surfaced during the Australian Open, calling the speculation exaggerated and misleading.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion addressed reports claiming a neck problem had disrupted his preparation in Melbourne. Djokovic said the issue did not affect his readiness and criticised how the situation was portrayed.
Reports emerged after Djokovic received brief treatment following his opening match on January 18, 2026. The rumours intensified when he ended one practice session early on January 14 after around 12 minutes on court.
Novak Djokovic is playing tennis from the future.
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯pic.twitter.com/ncqoR9c74i
— Danny (@DjokovicFan_) January 19, 2026Djokovic explained that the full context was ignored. He revealed that he had already completed two hours of training before the short session and later returned to the gym for additional work. He said the on-court interruption lasted only a few minutes.
Djokovic cuts practice short due to neck injury 🚨
“He’s the greatest of all time…but he better pray he has a good draw” – Danielle Collins#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/4ipI5uozQI
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) January 14, 2026Speaking to the Serbian outlet Blic, Djokovic said people were seeking drama rather than facts. He expressed frustration that reports focused on a single image of treatment instead of his full workload.
The Serbian star said media coverage turned a routine physiotherapy session into a major talking point. He added that many positive aspects of his preparation were overlooked in favour of speculation.
Sinner and Alcaraz have high odds of facing each other in another final at the 2026 Australian Open.
But do you see value in buying in on Novak winning his 11th title in Melbourne??? pic.twitter.com/As4KUXkcRV
— Polymarket Sports (@PolymarketSport) January 18, 2026Djokovic trained earlier on Rod Laver Arena, where he practised with Daniil Medvedev. He later continued training away from the court, which he said confirmed his fitness.
Currently seeded fourth, Djokovic remains one of the tournament favourites. He has won the Australian Open 10 times, with his most recent title coming in 2023. He enters the 2026 edition aiming to extend his record and silence doubts with his performance on court.
