I’ve Been Struggling With Health Issue –Djokovic

Following a surprise second-round defeat at the Cincinnati Open, 39-year-old tennis star Novak Djokovic has disclosed that he has been managing an undisclosed, years-long health condition.

He noted that the issue causes severe physical struggles during matches, particularly in hot and humid weather.

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Recall that Djokovic suffered a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss to Argentina’s Thiago Agustín Tirante.

During the second set, he dropped to his hands and knees, required a medical timeout, and appeared to vomit into a towel.

In an interview with Forbes, Djokovic stated that he has dealt with the undisclosed medical issue for many years, explaining that high heat, humidity, and match nerves exacerbate the problem.

“First and foremost, I congratulate my opponent today,” he began. “Honestly, it hasn’t been a pleasant match for me. That’s how I’ve felt. It hasn’t been the first time, and it won’t be the last. That’s just how it is.”

“The conditions aren’t the problem. It’s because of a health issue I have. I’ve been dealing with it for many years now. It causes me a lot of problems, especially when there’s a lot of humidity and heat.

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“I did anticipate it [would be humid], but there are all these things, like nerves and everything involved that make it worse, and that’s what happened.

“It was the best that my body felt after any Grand Slam in the last two years, to be honest. This time I was healthy and wanted to play [Cincinnati].

“Unfortunately, at this point, it seems more likely that I won’t be back next year. But let’s see what the future holds, I hope I do.”