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Twelve-time major singles champion Novak Djokovic will miss the rest of the season, including next month's US Open, as he recovers from a right elbow injury.
The 30-year-old posted a video statement on Facebook in which he said he had decided to deal with the injury that caused him to retire during his Wimbledon quarter-final against Czech Tomas Berdych earlier this month.
The Serb, down at number four in the world rankings for the first time since 2009, said "it's a decision that had to be made".
Djokovic then told a news conference he had decided to take six months off after consulting doctors and specialists in Serbia and abroad.
"I have been dragging this injury for the past 18 months and it has escalated in the last month or two," said Djokovic, who will miss a major for the first time since the 2004 US Open.
"It became very painful at Wimbledon, where unfortunately I had to retire against Berdych."
But Djokovic said surgery would not be necessary.
Rough 2017 season ends abruptly
Djokovic has endured a difficult 12 months on the court, losing all the major titles he held simultaneously after winning the 2016 French Open. He also lost his world number one ranking to Andy Murray at the end of last year and has reached just two finals since January for one win and one loss.
In May he split with his entire coaching team, having parted with Boris Becker at the end of last year, and holds a 32-8 win-loss record this season with just two titles — in Doha and Eastbourne — to his name.
Djokovic now faces the prospect of being outside the top 10 for the first time since 2007 when he returns at the start of next year — although he said he was already relishing the prospect of battling back to the top.
This year will also mark the first time since 2010 that Djokovic will not win at least one of the four majors on offer.
"I will definitely play in the first week of next season," Djokovic said.
"I have enough time to recover as the first tournament of 2018 is six months away.
"Having accomplished so much in my career I will find it difficult not to aspire to win tournaments.
"Believe it or not, I am actually looking forward to playing the top seeds in the third or fourth round of major tournaments because for once the pressure will be off."
Adding French Open sapped Djokovic's energy
Djokovic was troubled by the elbow last season and again this year when he pulled out of the Miami Open.
He said it had also been difficult having achieved the 'career grand slam' at last year's French Open.
"That was the one I craved for because it was the only one missing from my grand slam collection," he said.
"I have to admit that I wasn't quite as poised after lifting the Roland Garros because I felt flat after all the exertions."
Djokovic will take heart from the resurgence of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal this year after they both took injury timeouts last year. Federer won the Australian Open and Wimbledon with Nadal taking the French.
"Congratulations to both of them for their achievements this season and throughout their careers," Djokovic said.
"The bright side is that now I have time to heal and build up my body and strength and focus on elements of my game that I never had time to work on.
"I want to play professional tennis for many years to come."
Reuters/ABC
First posted