Miami Masters 2021: Novak Djokovic joins Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in withdrawal list

Novak Djokovic of Serbia is one of the greatest tennis players of the modern-day, having won 18 Grand Slam titles. He is also the reigning number one player in the men’s singles department. He won the Australian Open 2021 and that too with an abdominal muscle tear.

Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic has upset his fans as he has decided to pull out of the upcoming Miami Masters, scheduled to be held next week. He has taken the call on a personal note, wishing to spend more time with his family.

Djokovic, who won the Australian Open last month, was in the headlines for doing so despite struggling with an abdominal muscle tear. While he was unsure if he would take part in the following few tournaments owing to the same, he hasn’t reasoned his injury for Miami pull out.

“Dear fans, I’m very sorry to announce that this year I won’t travel to Miami to compete. I decided to use this precious time at home to stay with my family. With all restrictions, I need to find balance in my time on tour and at home. I look forward to coming back next year!” Djokovic wrote in a tweet.

Meanwhile, tournament director James Blake expressed his sadness upon Djokovic’s pull out but wished him to be back next year. “This has been a difficult year for everyone, but especially for players with families. As a father of two myself, I know how important it is to spend time with your children. Hopefully, we will have the opportunity to welcome Novak back to Miami next year,” he said, reports ATP.

Djokovic is an 18-time Slam champion. He has won 36 Masters, including six at Miami, having last won in 2016. He matches the Miami record with former world number one Andre Agassi, while he has a 44-7 record here in 13 appearances.

Earlier, Spain’s Rafael Nadal had also withdrawn from the tournament, as he looked to recover himself completely and stay fit for the upcoming clay-court season. Also, Roger Federer of Switzerland, who made his comeback last week in Doha after more than 400 days, decided to pull out to focus more on training before making a proper comeback.