Novak Djokovic’s powers of recovery are unlike few, but the former World No.1 is a serious doubt to miss Wimbledon and the Olympic Games in France
A top doctor is optimistic that Novak Djokovic could bounce back in time for Wimbledon and the Olympic Games.
The tennis star’s participation at SW19 and the upcoming games in France is uncertain after he suffered a knee injury at the French Open. Djokjovic, 37, aggravated a long-term knee issue during his gruelling five-set battle with Francisco Cerundolo from Argentina.
With Wimbledon kicking off on July 1, the 24-time Grand Slam champion has a race against time to be fit for the competitions. The former world No.1 is one Wimbledon triumph away from equalling Roger Federer’s tally of eight titles in the iconic grand slam.
Djokovic will need to recover quickly, having undergone surgery on his torn medial meniscus. However, he, and tennis fans around the world, have been given hope as Dr Goran Rodic thinks he may be able to recover in time for the contest.
The experienced medical professional told Sportal: “An arthroscopy was performed. It belongs to small, weak surgical methods. The body is entered through two holes with a camera and surgical instruments, and then the doctor sees everything in the knee that is wrong.
“We were told that of everything in the knee, and there is a lot of it, only the inner meniscus was damaged. In relation to the troubles that the knee can bring, it belongs to mild injuries and prognostically is the best possible condition.
“The good news is that in 90 per cent of cases it does not require surgical intervention. Maybe Novak’s injury did not require surgical intervention, however, we who are involved in the examination of athletes suggest that if it is a battle against time, it should be solved surgically because then the rehabilitation is somewhat faster. That works in favor of Novak,” reports the Express.
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Tennis ace Novak Djokovic received some positive vibes from his medical team, with one doctor highlighting that similar injuries have healed completely in just 19 days. With Wimbledon starting on July 1 there’s a solid chance he could make a timely return to the grass courts.
“I assume that Wimbledon is in his head, I hope so. There are examples, you have Nemanja Gudelj from Sevilla who had a similar situation and he was absent for only 19 days,” Rodic added
Given the tennis legend’s decision to undergo surgery, Rodic is optimistic about Djokovic’s recovery timeline, suggesting he’ll be ready for the upcoming tournaments. “France is famous for orthopaedics,” Rodic said. “I have no doubt at all that Novak, as the best athlete in the world, was in the hands of the best doctors.”
Djokovic, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, still has his sights set on capturing an elusive Olympic gold medal.
The Tokyo Games saw him come closest, where he was defeated by Pablo Carreno Busta in the bronze medal match. He also suffered the same fate at the 2012 London games, losing to Juan Martin Del Potro at the same stage.
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