Novak Djokovic’s June went from bad to worse. The current world No. 1 withdrew from the French Open on Tuesday due to a knee injury, but it appears he could miss even more time.
According to ESPN, an MRI revealed that Djokovic tore the meniscus in his right knee during his match against Francisco Cerundolo on Monday. He will reportedly need surgery to repair the tear and the recovery time means he may not be ready for Wimbledon in early July.
Djokovic, 37, played the full five sets against Cerundolo in the fourth round on Monday and injured his knee at some point during the match. He received treatment on the court, but was struggling and appeared to be cooked after going down 2-1. But Djokovic climbed out of that hole, eliminating the final two sets and winning them both to advance to the quarterfinals. He retired the next morning.
Djokovic has been remarkably healthy throughout his career. He has struggled with wrist and back injuries in the past, but hasn’t missed much time with an injury in years. Along with his late start as a professional (at least compared to teenage phenoms Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer), those factors are why he remains the best in the world at age 37, while Nadal limps into retirement and Federer He has been off the ATP tour for a long time. more than a year.
Wimbledon, which Djokovic has won seven times, begins July 1. It’s entirely possible that he isn’t healthy enough to play. But even if he is, he may decide not to. Djokovic has 24 career Grand Slam singles titles, but no Olympic medals. Therefore, he may choose to book his return for the Summer Games (the men’s singles begin in Paris on July 27) rather than switching to grass for a few weeks before returning to clay for the Olympics. Roland Garros.
