BEIJING : Novak Djokovic said he has endured a “big, big struggle” this season due to an undisclosed health issue rather than stamina problems after requiring another medical timeout during his China Open victory on Friday.
The 24-times Grand Slam champion recovered from a set down to beat local favourite and world number 104 Bu Yunchaokete 4-6 7-6(2) 6-2 in the last 16 in Beijing, extending his perfect record at the tournament to 31-0.
Djokovic returned to the ATP 500 event after an 11-year absence as he looks to regain momentum after dropping out of the world’s top 10. The Serb is also seeking a strong finish to a season that included a shock first-round defeat at the U.S. Open, his earliest Grand Slam exit since the 2006 Australian Open.
The 39-year-old vomited during that match and was troubled by back and shoulder problems that affected his serve. He also required a medical timeout during his opening-round win over Portugal’s Nuno Borges in Beijing.
“I don’t want to go into details because then it’s going to sound like I’m whining about something or looking for excuses,” Djokovic told reporters.
“Truth is that this year has been a big, big struggle for me with few particular issues that I’ve been having. I’ve been just trying to find different ways to be at least giving myself a decent condition physically and health-wise to be on the court and compete with the player across the net.
“Most of the matches and tournaments this year that I’ve played have been a real, real struggle for me physically. That’s nothing to do with stamina. People mix it up. It’s not stamina. It’s something else. More related to health.”
Djokovic did not elaborate on the issue but said he and his team were still trying to determine its cause.
He said he was encouraged by feeling stronger as Friday’s match progressed, particularly in the deciding set.
“Actually surprisingly something I haven’t experienced this year so far, that in the third set I kind of broke through. I felt better. Towards the end of the second and all third set, I felt fresher than I have in the beginning of the match,” he said.
“It’s not fun when you’re feeling like that on the court because then I’m investing my emotional, mental energy, and physical of course, more on the issues that I’m having rather than thinking about the game and how I can beat my opponent.”
Djokovic has won a record six China Open titles, most recently in 2015 before returning to Beijing this season.
