Novak Djokovic took to the Australian Open practice courts for two sessions on Wednesday, January 14, and the second of them ended after just 12 minutes, as the Serb cited pain in his neck while serving, which was then treated by a physio. This development raised concerns regarding the 24-time Major champion’s participation at the 2026 Australian Open. Inactive WTA star Danielle Collins and former ATP pro Steve Johnson later shared their respective thoughts on the subject.
Speaking to Tennis Channel, Collins, a former World No. 7 and a runner-up at the 2022 Australian Open, was not very positive about Djokovic’s chances at the Melbourne Major this year, saying:
“Anytime you’re dealing with something in the spine, lower back, neck, it’s not a good sign. It’s not just a pain in the neck. It can be debilitating. So, not excited about this for Novak. He’s probably going to have to get some kind of muscle relaxer, some painkillers, and hope that he can get that inflammation down for the tournament’s start.”
However, Johnson, a former No. 21, didn’t express any concerns given Djokovic’s 10 past title triumphs in Melbourne. Referring to the Serb as the ‘GOAT’, the 36-year-old added:
“For me, there’s no concern. He’s won 24 Majors. Got 10 of them down there in Australia. We got four or five days before he starts his first round match. He’s the greatest of all time, so for him, he knows exactly what his body needs. He’s going to be fine come first round of Aussie Open, so I expect him, no issues come start of the tournament.”
Subsequently, Collins opined that Djokovic needs a good draw now to have any chance of making a deep run at the 2026 Australian Open, concluding:
“Like Steve said, he’s the greatest of all time, but in my mind, he is getting a little bit older and I do think there’s something there. It’s not ever a good feeling going into a tournament when you have an injury or something like this come up. He can certainly make the adjustment, but he just better pray that he has a good draw.”
Injury Dashed Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open Hopes in 2025
At the 2025 Australian Open, Djokovic remarkably defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals despite sustaining an injury during his last-eight clash against the Spaniard. The injury came back to haunt the Serb in his semifinal showdown against Alexander Zverev. Immediately after losing the first set to the German, Djokovic decided to retire from the match.
The Serb’s decision was met with boos, as at the time, many felt that the injury wasn’t severe enough for him to retire mid-match. Later though, the former No. 1 shared scan results that confirmed a significant muscle tear in his left hamstring.
The men’s singles title in Melbourne last year was eventually decided via a championship match between Zverev and Jannik Sinner, which the Italian won in straight sets to successfully defend the title he’d won for the first time in 2024.
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