Novak Djokovic said a slight hamstring injury should not be a problem as he begins his attempt to win the Australian Open for the 10th time. The latest Novak Djokovic injury news came with him about to play his first Australian Open match in almost two years early Monday against Roberto Carballés Baena.
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Djokovic cut short a practice match against Daniil Medvedev on Wednesday, after he tweaked the hamstring while winning the Adelaide International last week.
“I just felt it pulling and I didn’t want to risk anything worse,” Djokovic said, according to CNN. “I played a set and apologized to him (Medvedev) and he was understanding. I just want to avoid any bigger scares before the Australian Open.
“There was a lot of care going into today’s match about the hamstring. It was all right. A few times in the match, I felt the muscle was tightening up, but nothing that would worry me for my performance.”
Djokovic is -10000 to defeat Baena (+1700, DraftKings).
Djokovic also was the overwhelming favorite in the overall Australian Open Odds after world No. 1 player Carlos Alcaraz announced this month he would not play in the tournament due to an injury sustained in training.
“I’d worked so hard to get to my best level for Australia but unfortunately I won’t be able to play the Care A2+ Kooyong or the Australian Open,” Alcaraz wrote on Twitter. “It’s tough, but I have to be optimistic, recover and look forward.”
Djokovic was as low as -125 on Caesars Sportsbook to win the tournament, but can be had at -110 at DraftKings. Medvedev was the consensus second choice at +600.
2023 Australian Open Odds, Men’s
The Australian Open began Sunday. Defending men’s champion Rafael Nadal, ranked No. 2 in the world, is the No. 1 seed. His odds to win the tournament have been climbing and are as high as +1700 at FanDuel. Nadal played Jack Draper late Sunday night as a -270 favorite, with Draper at +225 (FanDuel).
"[It is] probably one of the toughest first rounds possible, being seeded," Nadal told the ATP Tour website. "[He is] young (21), powerful, growing very, very fast in the rankings, playing well. ... [It is] a big challenge for me at the beginning to start the tournament. Let's see. I'm here to just give myself a chance."
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Djokovic, a nine-time Australian champ, did not play in the 2022 tournament after he was deported from Australia because he was not vaccinated for COVID-19. Djokovic, the No. 4 seed, remains unvaccinated, but restrictions in the country have changed. He has 21 Grand Slam championships, one behind Nadal for most all-time.
"The fact that I wasn't playing for several months at the beginning of last year allowed me to really get together with my team and work on my body, on my strokes, which has later helped me to achieve some great results," Djokovic said.
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