Former top-10 tennis player John Isner recently shared his insights on Novak Djokovic`s decision to compete in the Shanghai Masters tournament.
Isner speculated that Djokovic`s participation stems from the significant number of breaks he has taken this year, and his desire to maintain a consistent match rhythm for the upcoming season. According to Isner, if Djokovic`s schedule for the next year wasn`t planned to be as demanding as the current one, he would likely have opted out of Shanghai. He emphasized that an excessively long break could prove detrimental to the Serbian player`s overall form.
Furthermore, Isner expressed curiosity about Djokovic`s subsequent actions following the Shanghai event. He recalled that last year, the world No. 1 decided to skip the entire autumn season, including the ATP Finals in Turin and the Paris Masters. While Isner admitted his previous prediction for Djokovic`s appearance in Turin didn`t materialize, he suggested the current situation might unfold differently. If Shanghai ultimately marks Djokovic`s final tournament of the year, Isner believes it would signify his intent to conclude the season on a strong note, by playing some quality matches before calmly commencing preparations for the Australian Open. Isner made these comments during an appearance on the `Nothing Major` podcast.
Marcus Prine