Novak Djokovic’s participation at Wimbledon is in serious doubt after he withdrew from the French Open on Tuesday evening due to a torn meniscus in his right knee. The injury occurred during his fourth-round match against Francisco Cerundolo, a contest he won despite evident pain. Subsequent MRI scans revealed the severity of the injury, forcing Djokovic to pull out of his quarter-final match against Casper Ruud.
Djokovic’s withdrawal means he will lose his world No. 1 ranking, with Italy’s Jannik Sinner set to become the new world No. 1 following the conclusion of the French Open. Sinner will be the first Italian, male or female, to top the tennis rankings.
In an Instagram post, Djokovic expressed his disappointment: “I am really sad to announce that I have to withdraw from Roland Garros. I played with my heart and gave my all in yesterday’s match and unfortunately…my team and I had to make a tough decision after careful consideration and consultation.”
The duration of Djokovic’s recovery depends on the extent of the tear and whether surgery is necessary. Comparisons have been made to Roger Federer, who missed over two months following meniscus surgery in 2016 and then faced an extended recovery period, while Taylor Fritz underwent similar surgery in 2020 and still competed at Wimbledon shortly afterward.
Djokovic’s injury has also brought attention to the court conditions at Roland Garros. The Serbian star blamed the state of the courts, which he felt were slippery due to insufficient clay, for exacerbating his knee problem. During his match against Cerundolo, he requested more frequent brushing of the court, a request that was denied. Djokovic later revealed he had been experiencing minor knee pain for weeks, which was aggravated by a sudden movement.
Djokovic’s exit ensures a new champion will be crowned in the men’s singles at Roland Garros. Casper Ruud advances to the semi-finals with a walkover and will face the winner of the match between Alexander Zverev and Alex de Minaur. Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner, who defeated Grigor Dimitrov, is now the world No. 1.
