Novak Djokovic
Djokovic lost in the quarters to Chung SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images

Novak Djokovic has revealed that he has decided to do a small medical intervention on his elbow to fast track his recovery from a long standing problem which had kept him out of action for the better part of 2017. The Serb made his return in the Australian Open but was not at his best as he still felt some pain and eventually crashed out to Hyeon Chung in the quarter-finals.

The 12-time Grand Slam winner revealed that he has been carrying the injury for the last two years, which rendered him incapable of returning to competitive tennis since his loss in the quarter-finals at the 2017 Wimbledon. It was the first time in Djokovic's career that he had picked up a serious injury and the absence meant that he dropped out of the top 10 rankings going into Melbourne.

The 30-year-old came to the Australian Open without playing a single competitive game and paid for his hastiness as he struggled to cope with the rigours of the tournament. However, he revealed that he missed competing and that returning to the Australian Open was a must for him, a tournament he has won six times in his illustrious career.

However, he has finally managed a breakthrough in his recovery after a lot of opinions and suggestions from various doctors. He is finally on a good road to complete recovery and revealed that he is super positive and excited to make a comeback in the coming days.

"Hey guys, I owe you some news about my recovery. I've been carrying this injury for the past two years, and during this time I've been seeing many doctors. Truth be told, there were many different opinions, different diagnoses, different suggestions... It was not easy for me to choose which way to go and what to do," Djokovic told his official instagram page.

"I took 6 months off last season hoping to come back fully recovered, but unfortunately I still felt pain. I really missed competing, it's in my blood and I had to give it a try on AO. Anyhow, I agreed with my team that I would try different methods after I finish in Australia and a few days ago I accepted to do a small medical intervention on my elbow.

"It seems like I am on the good road now to full recovery. It's quite a journey this one, I have to say. I'm learning a lot and for that I'm grateful. I've always taken care of my body and looked for the most natural ways to heal, and my body has rewarded me with some incredible years on tour. I am super positive and excited to follow my recovery through so I can come back to the place I love the most. The court. I'll keep you posted and thanks for cheering me on!"