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London - Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash believes that when Novak Djokovic returns from his injury break he will rediscover his intense playing style and be mentally stronger.
Earlier in the week, the 12 -time grand slam champion took to his Facebook page to announce that he would miss the rest of the season, including next month's US Open, to recover from a niggling right elbow injury.
In an interview with the BBC, Cash said he believed the 30-year-old Djokovic will need time to get his intensity back on his return to the court, adding that the break from tennis is maybe just what he needs.
"It will take time for him to get his intensity back," Cash, the 1987 Wimbledon singles champion, told the BBC.
"Djokovic's style is very similar to almost everyone else on the circuit, but he was just that bit fitter, that bit more flexible, that bit more mentally tough.
"It is probably just what the doctor ordered, to take time off. After so many unbelievable years, 2017 has been poor for him."
Cash added that he did not expect Djokovic to return from injury as spectacularly as Swiss superstar Roger Federer did in 2017, who was on the sidelines six months with a knee injury and returned to wn five tournaments and two grand slams.
"It won't be like Roger Federer, who was winning Grand Slams straight out of the blocks after he came back, but sometime next year he will be playing well again," Cash said.
"He will be very sensible and make sure he is ready
when he does come back."
