Djokovic raises concerns among fans ahead of Wimbledon 2026

The player with the most Grand Slam titles did not enter any grass-court tune-ups for Wimbledon this year.

Only days before the 2026 Wimbledon tournament was about to begin, Novak Djokovic surprised everyone by deciding to withdraw from an exhibition tournament the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic in London without providing any formal explanation.

The Serbian's unexpected withdrawal just ahead of the world's most prestigious grass-court Grand Slam has fueled numerous rumors regarding his fitness and readiness for this year's Wimbledon.

Per the original schedule, Djokovic was slated to take on Karen Khachanov at the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic, a yearly exhibition event featuring numerous top ATP players as a warm-up to Wimbledon. However, the 24-time Grand Slam winner announced his pullout just before match day. Subsequently, Khachanov was scheduled to face American Martin Damm and unexpectedly suffered a defeat.

Djokovic's absence from this event is particularly striking as it marks a rare occasion where he has not contested any grass-court matches prior to Wimbledon. The 39-year-old has not competed since Roland Garros, where he exited in the third round following a defeat to Brazilian rising star Joao Fonseca. Still, Djokovic remains regarded as a leading contender for the 2026 Wimbledon crown due to his extensive experience and outstanding grass-court resume.

Despite Djokovic's withdrawal, the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic featured numerous prominent players. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner enjoyed a successful warm-up, beating Cameron Norrie in the opening match, thus reinforcing his position as the leading favorite for the trophy at the All England Club.

Assessing the race for this year's Wimbledon title, former world No. 1 John McEnroe, currently an ESPN analyst, stated that Sinner stands out as the most notable contender.

"There is no question that Jannik Sinner is the strongest contender. He is playing at an exceptionally high level and is clearly the top pick for the title.", he said.

Even though he ranks Sinner first, the former American player still holds Djokovic in high regard. In his view, Djokovic's showing at Roland Garros, despite not producing a favorable outcome, demonstrated that the Serbian still possesses the class and competitiveness needed for big events.