It will take time for Djokovic to get his intensity back, believes Pat Cash
Former Australian tennis great Pat Cash has insisted that Novak Djokovic will take some time to come back to winning ways after an early comeback next year. But the 1987 Wimbledon champion suggested that the Serb must be mentally prepared when he does decide to return to court.
Djokovic brought down the curtains on his 2017 campaign due to a prolonged elbow injury, which also meant that the former World No.1 would end a year without a Grand slam for the first time in seven years. The injury had forced him to retire during his Wimbledon quarter-final encounter against Tomas Berdych.
While Djokovic is expected to make a return to the court in the first half of 2018, Cash believes that the Serb should not be expected to make a spectacular comeback like Roger Federer did. Further, Cash stated that Djokovic will take some time to get his groove back.
"It will take time for him to get his intensity back," Cash told the BBC.
"It won't be like Roger Federer, who was winning Grand Slams straight out of the blocks after he came back, but sometime next year he will be playing well again. He will be very sensible and make sure he is ready when he does come back," the 1987 Wimbledon champion added.
Djokovic has endured a difficult one year since winning the 2016 French Open, he has struggled for form and looked a shadow of his former self on the court. He lost his No.1 ranking to Andy Murray in November last year and also suffered uncharacteristic early exits at the Australian Open and French Open in 2017. However, the Australian great believes that this is just a temporary blip for the 30-year old.
"Djokovic's style is very similar to almost everyone else on the circuit, but he was just that bit fitter, that bit more flexible, that bit more mentally tough. It is probably just what the doctor ordered, to take time off. After so many unbelievable years, 2017 has been poor for him."
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