As the tennis community reels from the shocking news surrounding Novak Djokovic and his shocking withdrawal from Roland Garros, Eurosport analyst Mats Wilander believes the World No.1 could likely turn his attention to the Olympic Games this summer.
Djokovic overcame strong opposition from Argentine Francisco Cerundolo in a physical and exhausting round of 16 encounter at the ongoing Roland Garros tournament. However, the Pyrrhic victory led to the Serbian announcing his withdrawal from the Parisian Grand Slam just a day later, following a knee injury sustained during the match.
It was later revealed that the 37-year old had suffered a torn medial meniscus in his right knee, which could keep him out of action for several weeks. Wilander is of the opinion that the Serbian could skip the grass court season, including the Wimbledon Championships in order to focus on the Paris Olympics.
"I think that for him, I'm worried about him playing Wimbledon, to be honest," said Wilander in an appearance on Eurosport. "I'm sorry to the tennis world, but the grass is a dangerous surface if you're trying to come back from meniscus surgery.
"I have to think that the most important tournament for him, for once, is the Olympics, because he hasn't won the Olympic gold medal and I think he would really like to bring that home to Serbia. Of course, winning Wimbledon for an eighth time would be amazing, getting 25 majors, but he's so young in his body and mind.
"I have to think that the most important tournament for him, for once, is the Olympics, because he hasn't won the Olympic gold medal and I think he would really like to bring that home to Serbia. Of course, winning Wimbledon for an eighth time would be amazing, getting 25 majors, but he's so young in his body and mind.
"The one thing that is most disappointing for me personally, apart from that Novak is disappointed himself, is that I want to see him here. I want to see him push the youngsters, because what he brought to the match against [Lorenzo] Musetti, and what he brought to the match against [Francisco] Cerúndolo, the young guys, they don't really know how to do that.
"How to throw the kitchen sink at everything and everybody and I am not losing without doing that. I think Novak is basically the last guy to really know how to do that, because of his experience. That's why I'm the most disappointed."
"How to throw the kitchen sink at everything and everybody and I am not losing without doing that. I think Novak is basically the last guy to really know how to do that, because of his experience. That's why I'm the most disappointed."
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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