Novak Djokovic, the world-renowned tennis player, is currently facing uncertainty about his participation in the French Open quarter-finals due to a knee injury. This news has sent shockwaves throughout the tennis community and has raised concerns about his ability to compete at the highest level.
Djokovic, known for his incredible athleticism and mental toughness on the court, has been plagued by injuries throughout his career. His latest setback comes at a crucial time in the tournament, as he was considered one of the favorites to win it all. The possibility of him not being able to continue in the competition has left fans and analysts alike wondering what this means for his future in the sport.
Whether he takes to the court against Casper Ruud, the player he defeated in last year's Roland Garros final, remains to be seen after Djokovic said he would undergo medical tests to determine to extent of the damage to his right knee.
"I don't know what will happen tomorrow or after tomorrow if I'll be able to step out on the court and play. You know, I hope so. Let's see what happens," said Djokovic.
Djokovic trailed by two sets to one, and was down a break at 4-2 in the fourth, putting him two games from defeat.
Of more concern than that gap was the pain in his knee — and the lack of clay on the court that Djokovic said was causing him to lose his footing. He repeatedly asked for the surface to be swept more often than just after each set, but those entreaties were denied.
At 2-1 in the crucible of the fifth set, Djokovic’s feet gave way as he chased a ball to his right, and he rolled on the ground, caking his white shorts, his red shirt and parts of his arms and legs with the rust-colored clay. As he walked to the sideline to grab a bottle of water to clean off, he gave a piece of his mind to anyone who would listen, renewing an earlier complaint about wanting the court to be swept to improve traction.
Djokovic took a medical timeout in the early part of the second set after appearing to tweak his knee during a lengthy point that saw him scramble around the court.
“I screwed up my knee. I'm slipping and sliding all the time,” he told the umpire, according to tennis writer Jon Wertheim.
The three-time Roland Garros champion ultimately overcame the injury to win, avoiding his first loss in a major before the quarterfinals since the 2020 U.S. Open when he was defaulted for hitting a line judge with a ball. He earned his 370th career major win, breaking a tie with Roger Federer.
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