“He needs a bit more match play to put yourself out there” : Martina Navratilova believes Novak Djokovic has been too cautious in terms of picking his schedule

Novak Djokovic made a last-minute withdrawal from the 2026 Miami Open, as his participation apart from Grand Slam tournaments continues to remain limited. The Serb competed at the Indian Wells Masters last week, where he was defeated by Jack Draper in the third round.

Former American tennis player Martina Navratilova believes Novak Djokovic needs to compete more outside of big events, which will also help him prepare for Grand Slams. The American legend stated that Novak Djokovic was not suffering from any injury, and it could have been the extreme heat conditions which could have prompted his withdrawal.

However, she believes that the Serb has been a little too cautious with his schedule, and needs to play more often. “The weather is causing havoc with the tournament and it’s really too bad, Novak last year’s finalist and the greatest, not being able to play,” said Navratilova.

“We did not see anything going on with his shoulder here, but the balls and everything is heavier in Miami, so who knows? Hopefully everything will be okay and we will see him soon again. I think he needs to have more matches before the big ones. I think he has pulled back so much that, even though he is as solid as he is, I think he needs a bit more match play to put yourself out there. But he knows better than me,” she added.

Novak Djokovic has only competed in two events so far, as he also reached the finals of the 2026 Australian Open. The Serb would lose vital points due to his withdrawal from the Miami Open, as he finished as the runner-up last season. Novak Djokovic will also drop out of the top 3 in ATP Rankings, as Alexander Zverev is all set to replace him.

It will be interesting to see if Novak Djokovic will return to action during the clay-court season, or he decides to focus on the grass court season and Wimbledon.