It's no secret that Novak Djokovic suffered a severe injury that saw him withdraw from last month's French Open tournament, but the former World No.1 has shown recovered quickly enough to allow him compete at the ongoing Wimbledon Championships.
The 37-year old tore his meniscus during his fourth round Roland Garros match against Argentine Francisco Cerundolo. Despite being able to finish the match and emerge victorious, the Serbian announced his withdrawal from the clay Grand Slam event the following day. After immediate surgery, Djokovic began a rehabilitative process that saw him recover in time to compete at Wimbledon.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has shown little sign of being hampered during SW19, as he has battled his way to a semifinal showdown against Italian Lorenzo Musetti. Coming off a severe meniscus tear required intense physical and mental strength, a fact that was emphasized by Jean-Georges Cellier, Djokovic's physiotherapist.
"I have been working with enormously great sportsmen, Olympic champions, but a man with so much willpower? I didn't know that it existed." said the Frenchman when asked about Djokovic's recovery process.
There was some uncertainty regarding Djokovic's participation at this year's Wimbledon, considering he had his surgery on June 5. The Serbian seemed set on recovering in time for the upcoming Olympic Games, an event where he has never won a gold medal. However, based off his form at Wimbledon and the fact that the tennis event will be hosted on the prestigious courts of Roland Garros, Djokovic could be considered a favorite to win Olympic gold.