Novak Djokovic suffered his first loss of the season before the final of the Dubai Tennis Championship against Daniil Medvedev, but he was pleased with his fitness levels during the tournament after returning from a injury to his hamstring. The world number one had a three-centimeter tear in his hamstring on his way to winning the Adelaide Open before claiming his 22nd Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, equaling Spanish player Rafael Nadal.
The 35-year-old Serbian player delivered a strong performance in Dubai before losing 6-4, 6-4 to Medvedev. Djokovic told reporters, "I lost to a better opponent. I know I didn't play well at some crucial moments, but that was also due to the quality of tennis he exhibited."
Djokovic, one of the prominent athletes unvaccinated against COVID-19, stated that he is still awaiting the result of a request for a special permit to enter the United States, where foreign travelers must provide proof of vaccination before entering the country.
If he is unable to compete at the hard court tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami later this month, Djokovic's next tournament will be on the clay courts in Monte Carlo next April. He said, "I am still waiting for news from America. If the response does not come, I believe I will play on clay. Monte Carlo might be the next tournament. If that is the case, I will take some time and prepare afterward."
