US Open: Novak Djokovic – Injury ‘not serious’ as he plays out his final Grand Slam match
Novak Djokovic was due to face Roger Federer in the final at the US Open on Friday but will instead play out the final of the tournament with a back injury.
Djokovic, the defending champion, crashed out of his second match of a third-straight week in the second round of this year’s US Open because of injury.
It is the 13th time this season a player has lost a Grand Slam title on the first day of the tournament.
Djokovic is aiming to become the first man to win three editions of the US Open.
But an X-ray result has come back as “not serious”, and Djokovic is due to see a doctor for further examination on Friday.
Djokovic had a successful season at the Australian and French Open, reaching the final at both tournaments.
He also reached the final at Wimbledon and then added the French Open title by beating Rafael Nadal in the deciding tie-break.
There was a little doubt over whether Djokovic would play the US Open because of the injury.
The Serb had played in just four tournaments this season, though he did play the Open at Indian Wells and Brisbane.
He had also been forced to withdraw from the US Open in April to attend to a family holiday.
While Djokovic withdrew from the US Open from a family holiday in April, another top tennis player has won the tournament this year.
Roger Federer, who is the world number one, has won all three of his Grand Slams.
However, he was last in the top 10 in January and has not been able to recover his form since the start of the US Open.
Federer, who turns 34 in August, has said he plans to retire in 2007.
However, he is due to defend his title at the US Open from Melbourne next week, and he hopes to be fit enough to do that.
He has said he will retire in the top one million and said he will play until he wants to stop.
Djokovic was due to face Roger Federer in the final and it has been announced that he will instead play with a back injury.
