PARIS – 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic underwent knee surgery in Paris on Wednesday, one day after withdrawing from the French Open.
According to French sports newspaper L’Equipe, Djokovic underwent an MRI scan that revealed a meniscus tear in his right knee. The surgery is expected to keep him out for at least three weeks, with several more weeks of rehabilitation required. Djokovic took to social media to announce that the surgery was successful and to thank his team and family for their support.
Djokovic is expected to miss Wimbledon, where he was defending 1,200 points from his runner-up finish last year. The Serbian will instead focus on the Olympics, which will take place at the same Roland Garros venue later in July. A gold medal in men’s singles is the only major title missing from Djokovic’s trophy cabinet.
According to Serbian physiotherapist Dobrosav Melajac, even with a successful surgery, there is no guarantee that Djokovic will regain 100% of his fitness. “It is unrealistic for Djokovic to play at Wimbledon,” he said. “We will hope for good news but are unsure about his fitness. He will have to skip the grass-court season first and focus on the Olympics.”
This is only the second time in seven years that Djokovic has had to undergo surgery, following an elbow operation in the summer of 2017. That surgery kept him out for nearly six months and he struggled to regain his form. At 37 years old, the expected recovery time is likely to be even longer.
His withdrawal from the quarterfinals against Casper Ruud at the French Open this week was only the 14th time in his career that Djokovic has been unable to complete a match due to a physical issue. The Serbian is having a difficult year, has not reached a final, and will lose his world No. 1 ranking to Jannik Sinner after the French Open.
Djokovic’s record number of weeks at No. 1 in the world will be paused at 428. He is expected to drop further down the rankings if he does not play Wimbledon. The grass-court Grand Slam takes place from July 1-14, while the Paris Olympics tennis competition begins on July 27.
