Novak Djokovic Withdraws from French Open Due to Knee Injury

Novak Djokovic has been forced to withdraw from his French Open quarterfinal against Casper Ruud due to a right knee injury sustained in his fourth-round win on Monday, June 3 2024.

This move ends his title defense and means he will relinquish the No. 1 ranking.

Djokovic underwent an MRI scan and further medical tests on his knee Tuesday, June 4 2024. A statement from Roland Garros revealed that he suffered a “torn medial meniscus” in his right knee.

Djokovic mentioned he was hurt in the second set of his five-set win over Francisco Cerundolo and was hopeful of competing in his quarterfinal on Wednesday, June 5 2024.

In a statement, Djokovic expressed his disappointment: “I played with my heart and gave it my all Monday before getting injured. I wish the best of luck to the players competing this week and sincerely thank the incredible fans for all of the love and continued support.”

The 24-time Grand Slam champion noted he had slight discomfort in his right knee coming into the tournament but had no further issues until his intense fourth-round match on Monday.

His third-round match finished at 3:07 a.m. on Sunday, which he said affected his recovery.

After taking the first set against Cerundolo, Djokovic slipped in the third game of the second set, which affected his knee. He requested a medical timeout and had further physio treatment during the match.

Djokovic was visibly frustrated with the slippery surface on Court Philippe-Chatrier and asked for it to be swept more frequently, but his request was denied.

“For two sets, two sets and a half, I didn’t want to stay in the rally too long,” Djokovic said. “Every time he would make sudden drop shots or change directions, I would not be feeling comfortable to do the running.”

Despite being down two sets to one and a break in the fourth set, Djokovic rallied to win the match. However, he was concerned about the long-term damage to his knee. Djokovic, 37, now sets his sights on Wimbledon, which starts on July 1, and the Olympic Games starting July 27.

Djokovic’s withdrawal means Ruud has booked his spot in the semifinals and will play the winner of the quarterfinal between Alexander Zverev and Alex de Minaur.