When Novak Djokovic admitted bidding adieu to his career with the Olympic Games and carrying the Serbian flag, revealed his deep devotion to his nation. For some time now, though, he has faced some hurdles in that. Once again, as the ATP legend chases his record 25th Grand Slam at the Australian Open, his patriotic pride may need to be put on hold.

According to Tennis365, “Serbia’s hopes of calling on Novak Djokovic for their Davis Cup trip to Santiago have been dashed, as the tennis great has made himself unavailable for selection for the tie against Chile.”

“It’s an extremely inconvenient date for him,” Team captain Viktor Troicki told Sport Klub. “We all hope he performs well and goes far in the Australian Open. It wasn’t realistic to expect him to fly to Chile from Melbourne immediately after the exhausting Grand Slam to change surfaces and be with us this time.”

Troicki and Serbia had pinned their hopes on having the 24-time Grand Slam champion in the lineup, but that dream seems distant this time. The timing, as he explained, has made everything complicated.

Novak Djokovic could potentially reach the Australian Open final on February 1. Given that Serbia will play Chile from February 6-8, it barely leaves any breathing room for him before switching continents. Even if he does, a quick turnaround from Melbourne’s hard courts to Chilean clay was always a steep ask.

For his part, Djokovic has never hidden his pride in representing Serbia. He’s repeated time and again that “my main priorities are playing for the national team and Slams.” Yet, scheduling and recovery have often stood in his way.

He missed Serbia’s 3-2 defeat to Norway last February and later pulled out of the Davis Cup in September 2025 after initially agreeing to headline their World Group 1 tie against Turkey.

“I wished I could have played the Davis Cup,” Novak Djokovic said in an interview. “Representing my country throughout my career has been an honor and a privilege. I always look forward to playing for Serbia, but it all depends on my body, as I want to be the best option for our team.

“I hope we can pass Turkey and play in the World group next year, we deserve that. The Davis Cup changes made me happy, as we have more opportunities to compete at home.”

Serbia will also be without Miomir Kecmanovic and Laszlo Đere. ATP regulars Hamad Medjedovic and Dusan Lajovic, and youngsters Ognjen Milic and twins Ivan and Matej Sabanov, were named in the squad for the trip to Latin America.

For now, it remains to be seen how Nole navigates these challenges. He’s never been one to back down. After all, this is a man who held the No. 1 spot for 428 weeks, captured 101 tour titles, and won 24 Grand Slams. However, his body may not be up to mark.

Novak Djokovic raises concern over health ahead of the Australian Open

The new tennis season has just kicked off, with warm-up tournaments in full swing, but Djokovic’s plans were already halted. The Serbian was expected to headline at the Adelaide International, yet he’s chosen to step back. Later, he confirmed his withdrawal, saying he’s “not quite physically ready to compete.”

That announcement instantly shook up his early-season schedule. Announcing the news on Instagram on January 6, the 38-year-old shared his thoughts with fans.

“It’s personally very disappointing to me as I have such great memories of winning the title there two years ago,” he wrote. “I was really excited about returning, as it truly feels like playing at home. My focus is now on my preparation for the Australian Open, and I look forward to arriving in Melbourne soon and seeing all the tennis fans in Australia.”

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The decision caught many off guard, especially since tournament organizers had confirmed his participation just last month. It’s now been almost two months since his last official match at the Athens Open in November, adding to the concern about his readiness. But Novak Djokovic isn’t one to leave anything to chance. He’s clearly prioritizing recovery over risk.

In a refreshing moment at the Qatar Grand Prix, he opened up to Sky Sports about his physical condition and introduced his new Regenesis recovery pod. He spoke passionately about how the technology helps him and why it’s become crucial in keeping his body sharp.

Now the stage shifts to Melbourne. Can the Serbian great find his rhythm in time to battle Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz for that historic 25th Slam? Share your thoughts in the comments below!