Novak Djokovic has allayed fears that he will miss the rest of the ATP Tour season, but he has cast doubt over his availability for the Shanghai Masters and China Open.
Djokovic has been the stand-out player of 2011, securing the world No. 1 ranking thanks to three grand slam victories. The Serb's season has even been labelled "the greatest year in the history of our sport" by John McEnroe.
However, it is in danger of coming to a premature end after Djokovic attempted to put his tired body through a tense Davis Cup tie with Argentina over the weekend. He was forced to retire injured when trailing Juan Martin Del Potro, citing a back injury.
There were initial fears that Djokovic may miss the unofficial fifth slam of the year at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, but the world's best player plans a quick recovery.
"Not as serious as we have thought," Djokovic revealed Monday. "It's a partial rupture of a back muscle that deserves rest. I carried the injury since the US Open. It gradually got worse through the tournament, and I felt sharp pain in the finals."
Looking ahead into the calendar Djokovic could not confirm his participation in forthcoming Shanghai or Beijing events, but he did state his desire to play if the injury heals quickly. Certainly he intends to be back to 100 per cent fitness for the World Tour Finals, which start at the O2 Arena on November 20.
"I hope I will recover by then," Djokovic said, referring to the October Shanghai Masters. "Anyway, I won't risk the worsening of the injury and that's why it is hard to predict for how long I will rest."
Courtesy: ESPN
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