Novak Djokovic Confirms His Competitive Return With a Message After Canadian Open Snub

Novak Djokovic is preparing for the North American hardcourts after a notable Wimbledon 2026 run. While the Serb has opted against competing in Montréal, he won’t be delaying his comeback further. Djokovic has confirmed that he plans to play a tune-up event ahead of the US Open.

Novak Djokovic Sends a Message to His Fans Ahead of North American Return

Djokovic has scaled back his schedule considerably this year, having played just five tournaments in the first seven months of the calendar. While the Serb has enjoyed little success outside the Grand Slams, his deep runs at the Australian Open (runner-up) and Wimbledon (semifinal) have helped him remain among the world’s top-ranked players.

Interestingly, Djokovic didn’t compete at any warm-up events before his campaigns in Melbourne and London, but he plans to get some matches under his belt before heading to New York for the US Open. He has been confirmed as part of the Cincinnati Open field, with the tournament’s main draw set to run from August 13 to 23.

The update was shared just days after Djokovic, alongside Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, pulled out of the Canadian Open in Montréal. While he and Sinner withdrew due to a change of schedule after their Wimbledon campaigns, the latter extended his injury-related absence. The Cincinnati Open is, however, expected to host all three stars during the 11-day event.

Addressing his fans, the three-time Cincinnati champion said, “Hello, everyone. I am happy to announce that I’m coming to the Cincinnati Open this year for the first time since 2023, when I played one of the best best-of-three finals of the Masters 1000 events in my career. I can’t wait to comeback and perform in front of you. Very excited to see all the fans.”

In 2023, Djokovic won the 39th of his 40 Masters 1000 titles in Cincinnati, beating Carlos Alcaraz in the final. The match, which lasted three hours and 49 minutes, became the longest best-of-three-sets final in the tournament’s history. En route to the dramatic 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) win, the Serb also saved a championship point.

He carried the momentum into the US Open, where he won his 24 and most recent Grand Slam title against Daniil Medvedev. Djokovic would hope for a similar stretch in North America this time, with deep runs at both tournaments.

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Besides his singles appearances in Cincinnati and New York, Novak Djokovic is also on the US Open mixed doubles (August 24-26) entry list. He is set to partner with women’s World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.