Novak Djokovic Withdraws From French Open With Right Knee Injury

Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the French Open due to the right knee injury he sustained in yesterday’s five-set win over Francisco Cerundolo.

Djokovic was due to play Casper Ruud Wednesday in the quarterfinals. Ruud will now get a walkover into the semifinals on Friday when he will face either Alexander Zverev or Alex de Minaur.

Djokovic revealed Monday that the knee had been an issue for a few weeks, and that a slip early in the second set inflamed the injury further.

“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 said. “I was playing a few tournaments with it, and no issues until today.

“I started feeling the pain and asked for the physio treatment and the medical timeout and tried to take care of it. It did disrupt me definitely in play. For two sets, two sets and a half, I didn’t want to stay in the rally too long. Every time he would make sudden dropshots or change directions, I would not be feeling comfortable to do the running.

“At one point I didn’t know, to be honest, whether I should continue or not with what’s happening. I got the medications, and then after the third set was done, I asked for more medications, and I got them.”

Djokovic underwent more tests Tuesday and it was determined he would be unable to play. Some reports have the injury as a torn meniscus in his right knee, and that could impact his ability to play Wimbledon or even the Olympics.

The is the first time Djokovic has given a walkover in his Grand Slam career. And it ends his title defense hopes and his reign at world No. 1 which will now go to Jannik Sinner.

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