"It all resembled the fourth round of Roland Garros": Novak Djokovic 'very worried' as knee issues return at Olympic Games
ATP
Novak Djokovic saved three set points and defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6 to reach the semi-finals of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. But that didn't resemble the full story as injury issues returned for the top seed.
Djokovic felt his knee after slipping to start the second set as Tsitsipas bounced into a 4-1 lead over him and he had to see the physio twice over the course of the set. But there is cause for concern given post match comments from the top seed.
He defeated Francisco Cerundolo at the 2024 French Open where he tore his meniscus and had to have surgery. He said it was a similar feeling in the second set against Tsitsipas.
It will be a race against time for him to be right to face Lorenzo Musetti tomorrow evening. Last time he had to withdraw and have surgery and this time he will hope it doesn't derail his gold medal bid.
There will be major concern that his big opportunity will pass him by with likely no other chance to win a gold medal given that the next Olympic Games take place in 2028 in LA. But also if this issue manifests itself, it could spell danger for the US hard court season. He is due to start that in Cincinnati in a few weeks post Paris.
“I am very worried, honestly, I don’t know what to say. I finished the match, and the intense pain went away. Whether I hit myself or slipped, I don’t even know," he said post match as he shared his worry about the injury as he soldiered onto victory amid his issue.
"It all resembled the 4th round of Roland Garros where I managed to finish the match, and then I found out I was injured. I am pleased with the victory, but I am worried”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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