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Novak Djokovic is having surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, a source told ESPN's Tom Hamilton. The surgery is taking place a day after Djokovic withdrew from the French Open following an MRI that confirmed the meniscus tear.
Djokovic suffered the injury during his thrilling comeback win over Francisco Cerundolo in the fourth round at Roland Garros on Monday. The 37-year-old battled back from being down two sets to one, winning sets four and five 7-5 and 6-3 respectively to advance to his record-setting 59th major quarterfinal.
Djokovic was set to face number seven seed Casper Ruud on Wednesday but the Norwegian will get a walkover to his third consecutive French Open semifinal. He'll face the winner of Alexander Zverev and Alex de Minaur.
With Wimbledon set to begin on July 1, Djokovic faces an uphill battle to get his body ready for The Championships. The seven-time Wimbledon champion reached the final in each of the last five tournaments, winning four in a row from 2018-2022 before losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the 2023 final (the tournament was not held in 2020 due to COVID-19).
Though not impossible, it's highly improbable that Djokovic will be able to play at 100%, which makes his entry into Wimbledon doubtful. Risking another injury to his knee may not be worth it with a busy summer schedule approaching that includes the Paris Olympics. Djokovic has never reached the gold medal match at the Olympics, with his only medal being a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The men's tennis tournament at the Paris Olympics begins on July 27.
French Open climax nears with Novak Djokovic out of the picture
With Novak Djokovic pulling out of the French Open and Rafael Nadal dropping his first-round match to Zverev, this year's tournament will mark the first since 2015 in which neither man wins the men's singles draw. It's also the first time since 2009 that neither will feature in the final.
As Ruud awaits his opponent, the other semifinal is set as a clash between Alcaraz and impending world No. 1 Jannik Sinner will take place on Friday. Djokovic's withdrawal ensures that Sinner will overtake the 24-time Grand Slam winner for the top spot in the ATP rankings regardless of his finish at Roland Garros.
Sinner and Alcaraz are arguably the brightest stars in this next generation of men's tennis. Alcaraz is attempting to reach his fourth consecutive Grand Slam semifinal, while Sinner tries to keep the possibility of a second major title in 2024 after capturing his first career triumph at the Australian Open in January.
The pair will be among the favorites at next month's Wimbledon, especially if Djokovic is unable to play. Regardless of his status, the field will be wide open with the potential for another first-time winner.
To be the best you usually have to beat the best, but arguably the greatest men's tennis player to ever grace a court will miss two opportunities to add to his record Grand Slam total. Avoiding a date with Novak Djokovic in a major does not come around often. Someone will benefit from his absence.
