Tennis: Is Novak Djokovic's career facing a crisis?
What's the story
Serbian Djokovic bowed out of the French Open after a shocking result against world number 72 Marco Cecchinato in the quarter-finals. The defeat has put his Wimbledon participation in doubt as he looks to get back stronger by taking time off. 2018 has continued on a poor note for Djokovic and he has failed to go big in the Grand Slams.
Out of form
Since 2016, the drop in form has been alarming
From 2011 to 2016, Djokovic won a staggering 11 Grand Slams to dominate men's singles tennis. He was a runner-up 7 times during this phase. But since last year, an indifferent form took over his game. He has reached just three quarter-finals in the Slams besides a fourth and a second round exit. The elbow injury too has kept him off pace.
Failed impact?
On and off-court issues a major hindrance
Legendary Boris Becker became Djoker's coach in December 2013 and since then the duo enjoyed a lot of success for three years. In December 2016, Djokovic ended his association with Becker after a dramatic loss of form in the second half of the season. Djoker's desire to build new goals did not go, according to his plans in 2017. His poor form continued.
Injuries
Things not going according to his plans
Djokovic surprised everybody when he fired his entire support team in May 2017. He decided to go ahead without any formal coaching. Notably, the player won just two tournaments in the whole of 2017. His long-standing elbow injury and current shoulder issues have been problematic. To add to his misery, in 2018, he has suffered regular losses against lower-ranked players
Looking forward
Djokovic has plenty to address
Djokovic is contemplating on a move to skip Wimbledon and other grass tournaments. The losses have played on his mind and he wants to take a break from tennis. His world ranking of 22 at the moment is the lowest in his career since 2006. The former champion has plenty to address as he gets back to the locker room.