Djokovic: Pain is Constant for Weeks

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Djokovic: Pain is Constant for Weeks

NEW YORK—Novak Djokovic said he's been plagued by shoulder pain for weeks.

Tonight, it prompted him to pull the plug on his US Open fourth round clash vs. Stan Wawrinka.

More: Medvedev Breaks New Ground

In a rematch of the 2016 final, the world No. 1 retired while trailing Wawrinka, 6-4, 7-5, 2-1, sending the Swiss into a quarterfinal clash vs. Daniil Medvedev.

Djokovic, who has declined to detail the specifics of his shoulder injury, said it was time to stop when he couldn't hit shots pain-free anymore.

"It's hard to say when you don't know what you feel anymore, to be honest," Djokovic told the media afterward. "The pain was constant for weeks now. Some days higher; some days with less intensity and obviously taking different stuff to kill the pain instantly.

"Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't. You just know when you know, I guess, when you feel like you're not able to hit the shot anymore."

It is Djokovic's earliest exit from Flushing Meadows in 13 years and snaps his streak of 11 straight US Open semifinals.

The Wimbledon champion said he hopes to return to action in Tokyo and play the Asian swing, but is uncertain of when he can return pending further evaluation.

"Evaluation is to come," Djokovic said. "Obviously I did a lot of different treatments and diagnostics and everything in the last couple weeks. I obviously have to do it again and see how the shoulder reacts.

"You know, to the rest, obviously not playing is going to help speed up recovery. I'm planning to play Tokyo, and hopefully I'll be able to do so."

Photo credit: US Open Facebook

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