A blessing in disguise.  It is a descriptive phrase people use when discussing something that is initially perceived as being unfavorable but with the gift of hindsight is ultimately deemed to instead be favorable.  An example of this would be that while no tennis player wants to sustain an injury that relegates him to the sidelines, on more than one occasion players who have experienced such a forced hiatus have admitted that it turned out to be for the best in the grand scheme of things.  After confirmation that he is suffering from a bone bruise that will require some time away from the game, Novak Djokovic will assuredly be hoping that his recent diagnosis and subsequent decision to pull the plug on his remaining 2017 season will also pan out to pay dividends.

There is definitely ample reason to believe that this bone bruise could become a positive for the Serb.  For starters, no tennis player likes dealing with a niggling injury.  The uncertainty of not knowing their exact cause, if they can get worse, and when they will flare up are mentally taxing to a competitor, and Djokovic is no exception.  He has been dealing with this elbow issue for the last year-and-a-half, and while it is not the sole contributor to his well-documented slump, it has certainly been a major factor.  Thus, simply pinpointing the issue and being reasonably confident that it can be addressed without surgery has to bring some level of relief on its own.

An additional and bigger positive for the former Number 1 in this scenario is that it is forcing him to sit out, which will afford him the mental break that he has already seriously been contemplating.  As any current and past legend will attest, it is never easy being the hunted and maintaining a level of greatness the way that Djokovic did through Roland Garros last season.  With his win at Roland Garros, he not only completed the career Grand Slam, but he simultaneously became the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four majors at once.  With those achievements under his belt, many would argue he was due for a letdown.  Couple that with the undisclosed personal issues he was dealing with off court as well as the elbow injury, and some level of a mental collapse would seem even more likely.  And though he had toughed it out to this point, before Wimbledon there were murmurs that he might skip the year's third major and take a break.  The thing is, no player, especially one who has proved his mettle by reigning so long at the top, wants to admit he needs a mental break.  It can be perceived as weak, and while it might be justifiable, it is a reason that does not always sit well with fans and pundits.  A physical injury, however, is perceived as a perfectly legitimate reason to take a necessary break, and therefore having the choice taken out of his hands makes it easier for the Serb to take the mental respite he has clearly been considering and needing.

A subsequent bonus to Djokovic taking a hiatus is that it gives his new partnership with Andre Agassi and Mario Ancic a chance to reach its full potential.  Each man would seem to be a good fit for Djokovic, as they can add to both the mental and physical aspects of his game, and particularly in the case of Agassi, can provide some helpful insights into finding the right balance between tennis and family life.  But with Djokovic injured and not fully mentally engaged, that new partnership was starting behind the proverbial eight-ball.  It would have been a shame to see it stymied in the early stages and possibly disbanded as a result.  Now, with Djokovic presumably taking the time necessary to heal and recharge the batteries, he can come back healthier, fresher, and hungrier than ever, leaving him more receptive to the messages of his new coaches and potentially reaching even greater heights.

All told, while the diagnosis of a bone bruise is disappointing for Djokovic and his fans, it is likely only to be so for the short term.  He was treading water and in danger of sinking lower unless something changed.  He now has an opportunity to take a much-needed break, and like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal before him, it could very well pan out to be a blessing in disguise.