Novak Djokovic, who lost in the Round of 16 to Jack Draper at the Indian Wells Masters, has decided to opt out of the 2026 Miami Open due to a right shoulder injury. The decision has met with mixed reactions from fans and analysts alike, with some calling on the Serb to retire already, given his inconsistent participation outside Grand Slam tournaments.
Former ATP stars Jimmy Connors and Andy Roddick reacted to outside noise trying to take down Djokovic’s reputation. On the Advantage Connors episode, Connors said Djokovic has earned his way to here, where he can pick and choose tournaments without concerning anyone. The former ATP star doesn’t like the voices of people asking the 24-time Grand Slam champion to quit.
“I don’t like going around and hearing people say, well, he should quit,” Connors said. “You know, there’s only one guy who’s going to tell me, you know, that he’s going to quit. And that’s him, you know, because you can’t take away something that somebody loves so much. And, you know, the way he’s played, his record shows it. And, you know, how much he enjoys doing what he’s doing.
“And still trying to be at the level in which satisfies him. Right. That’s I think that’s more the key. You know, he doesn’t have to please anybody and I have to please me. I’m a spectator. Right. You know, he has to please himself. And if he walks off of there and feels like he’s done everything he can, which he does, it seems like he does every day. You know, you can’t ask for any more than that.”
Roddick is also “annoyed” by a certain section of people asking for Djokovic to quit despite knowing that the Serb’s priorities have changed. Djokovic has already said that he wants to spend more time with his family, even at the cost of missing tournaments, not the Grand Slam.
“When Novak goes, ‘Hey, listen. I’m not chasing the number one ranking, I’m here for majors, I’m proving new success rates with longevity at this age, I will prioritise my family, I want to see my kids grow up’ – everyone goes, ‘Man, that’s great, that’s absolutely what you should do,'” Roddick said on Served.
“And then a certain sect of people… he pulls out of Miami and [they say]: ‘He’s pulling out of Miami!’ No, those are the same thing. That’s the exact same conversation. Doing all of the things that he has talked about for the last 18 months is this decision. It’s this exact decision.”
Roddick added that Djokovic doesn’t need to keep up with appearances and can enjoy professional tennis as he see fit.
Novak Djokovic To Lose 650 Ranking Points Over Miami Open Absence
Since Novak Djokovic reached the finals of the 2025 Miami Open, failing to participate this year, will lead him to miss 650 points in the ATP men’s tennis rankings in singles.
This could cause him to fall outside top three in rankings, with German rival Alexander Zverev expected to ascend to the No. 3 spot.
Djokovic has been playing a reduced schedule. At 38, he’s managing fitness and injuries carefully. Missing the Masters 1000 events makes it harder to maintain a ranking position, even if he performs well in Grand Slams.
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