Novak Djokovic confirmed on Thursday that he had undergone surgery on his right knee, which he injured during the French Open. The 24-time Grand Slam champion was forced to withdraw from his Roland Garros quarter-final match against Casper Ruud after a scan revealed a torn medial meniscus in his right knee.
“In the past day, I had to make some tough decisions after sustaining a meniscus tear during my last match,” Djokovic posted on social media. “I’m still processing it all but I am happy to update you that the surgery went well. I am so appreciative of the team of doctors who have been by my side as well as the overwhelming support I have received from my fans.”
Although the 37-year-old did not specify if he would be fit for Wimbledon, which begins on July 1, he expressed his determination to return to the court as soon as possible. “I am going to do my best to be healthy and fit to return to the court as soon as possible,” he added.
Djokovic withdrew from the French Open after securing a five-set victory over Francisco Cerundolo. He blamed the “slippery” Roland Garros courts for aggravating his knee problem. “For the last couple weeks I have had, I would say, slight discomfort, I would call it that way, in the right knee, but I haven’t had an injury that would be concerning me at all,” Djokovic explained following his record 370th Grand Slam win. “I was playing a few tournaments with it, and no issues until today.”
The match against Cerundolo was Djokovic’s second consecutive five-setter, following a grueling four-hour, 29-minute encounter against Lorenzo Musetti in the third round, which concluded at 3:07 am on Sunday morning, marking the latest finish in French Open history.
Ruud, who lost to Djokovic in last year’s final, advanced to the semi-finals via walkover and will face Alexander Zverev on Friday.
Djokovic’s withdrawal marks a significant shift in the tournament, with Jannik Sinner set to become Italy’s first world number one next week. Additionally, for the first time since 2004, the men’s final in Paris will not feature Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, or Roger Federer.
