Novak Djokovic explained why he pulled out of the upcoming Miami Open

Tim Henman has claimed that Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal from the Miami Open will cause “speculation” after the world No. 1 gave an unconventional reason for pulling out. Djokovic recently suffered a shock third-round defeat in Indian Wells and will now be out of action until the second week of April.

Djokovic confirmed that he had pulled out of the upcoming Miami Masters on Sunday following reports earlier in the week. The 24-time Major winner has played just 11 matches this season, suffering defeats in his first three tournaments of the year. And he won’t be seen until the clay season kicks off in Monte Carlo.

While players usually cite fatigue or an injury for their withdrawals from tournaments, the 36-year-old provided an unusual explanation for missing Miami. “At this stage of my career, I’m balancing my private and professional schedule. I’m sorry that I won’t experience some of the best and most passionate fans in the world,” Djokovic tweeted.

While it’s refreshing to see a player be honest about their reasons for not playing, former world No. 4 Henman believes that Djokovic will spark speculation about his private life. “It’s quite revealing in some aspects because it could’ve been very easy to just say my elbow is a bit sore, heavy balls in the desert and I’m going to take time off,” he told Sky Sports

Novak Djokovic lost to lucky loser and world No. 123 Luca Nardi in Indian Wells

“And no one would’ve said anything. But when you sort of elaborate down those avenues then I think it probably does lead a little bit to speculation when you’re talking about your professional and personal life. So fingers crossed he can sort out whatever the issues are and we can see him back on court in the not too distant future.”

Djokovic has been honest about the difficulty of balancing his private life with his tennis this year. In Australia, he confessed that it had become increasingly difficult to be away from his two children – Stefan, nine, and Tara, six. It’s something that Laura Robson picked up on, as she questioned whether the Serb wanted to spend more time with his family.

The 30-year-old former pro explained: “I feel like when you’re away from your kids so often, he just misses them so much. Whether that’s the reason I’m not totally sure. It really could be anything because it’s not that specific.

Novak Djokovic recently admitted that it was becoming difficult to be away from his children

“He spoke about it a lot in Australia that he misses them when he’s away, that it’s a huge sacrifice for him not to be there and he wants them to see him play tennis for sure but equally, the moments at home are just as important to him. And he’s won everything so do you need to win another Miami, do you need to even play that week if you’re not feeling 100 per cent about it? No.”

Discussing the future of his career in January, Djokovic shared the struggles of being away from his family for long periods of time. “Right now I have the motivation, I have the support of the close ones, which is also something that is probably underestimated and not maybe talked about a lot, but it’s a key, especially as a father,” the 98-time career title winner said.

“Being absent from the children is not something that makes me very happy. It’s a balancing act between me and my wife and the close people in my life. So her being there for our children and everything, it allows me to be able to do what I love and still make some strides, significant strides, in this sport.”