"Thank you for everything you have brought to me" - Novak Djokovic shares heartwarming message for ex-physio on his birthday

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic recently shared a heartwarming message on the occasion of his ex-physio Ulises Badio's birthday.

Badio played a significant role in Djokovic's successful recovery from elbow surgery in 2017. He also did an outstanding job during the 2021 Australian Open, where the Serb won despite suffering an abdominal strain during his third-round match.

After years of success, Djokovic announced in December 2022 that he had replaced Ulises Badio with Claudio Zimaglia as his physiotherapist.

But their relationship remains unaffected by their professional split, as evidenced by Novak Djokovic's most recent Instagram post. The 22-time Slam champion thanked Badio for everything he had done for him and his team, saying that he was "fortunate" to have had him by his side for so long.

"Appreciation post for this amazing man Ulyses Badio- ULI! Thank you for everything you have brought to me and the team. You have always been so dedicated and caring. I have been fortunate to have you by my side for many years. Grazie amico. Ti mando un grande abbracio. Buon compleano! Happy birthday @uli.physio," Djokovic wrote.

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"The way I felt throughout the entire week makes me really satisfied" - Novak Djokovic on his performance in Dubai

Novak Djokovic pictured at the 2023 Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships.

Novak Djokovic's most recent appearance came at the 2023 Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships, where he was defeated in the semifinals by Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-4.

Following the match, Djokovic spoke to the press and discussed the positive takeaways from his performance in Dubai. The Serb stated that the way he felt throughout the week made him very "satisfied" with his current physical condition.

"Oh, lots of positives. The way I felt throughout the entire week makes me really satisfied with the current state of my body, not knowing how I'm going to react with the comeback after an injury. I'm really glad," he said.

The 35-year-old expressed no grief about his defeat, claiming that he lost to a better opponent and that he was ready to move on to the next challenge in his path.

"I lost to a better opponent. I know that I didn't play well in some decisive moments, but it was also due to his quality of tennis. That's it. We move on to the next challenge," he said.

Djokovic's upcoming schedule is now dependent on the outcome of his request for an exemption from the United States' entry requirements for non-citizens, who must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination. His next tournament will be the Monte-Carlo Masters if he is not given an exemption and misses Indian Wells and Miami.