Novak Djokovic is the most dominant tennis player of the modern era and the GOAT of grandslams.
He’s been remarkably injury-free while collecting 24 major singles titles thanks to his fluid style.
However, there’s growing speculation that his most recent injury could be a career-killer.
Djokovic was forced to pull out of the French Open on Tuesday ahead of his quarter-final against Casper Ruud.
An MRI scan revealed he suffered a meniscus tear, the same injury that ended Roger Federer’s career. Treatments for meniscus tear can range from rest to surgery.
“I am really sad to announce that I have to withdraw from Roland Garros,” Djokovic wrote on social media.
“I played with my heart and gave my all in yesterday’s match and unfortunately, due to a medial meniscus tear in my right knee, my team and I had to make a tough decision after careful consideration and consultation.”
The 37-year-old Djokovic had cast doubt over his fitness following Monday’s five-set win over Francisco Cerundolo, admitting he needed anti-inflammatory drugs to get through the match.
Djokovic blamed the “slippery” Philippe Chatrier court for the injury he sustained early in the second set of his 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over Cerundolo.
“I don’t know what will happen tomorrow or after tomorrow if I’ll be able to step out on the court and play. You know, I hope so. Let’s see what happens,” Djokovic said after his record 370th win at a Grand Slam.
“For the last couple weeks I have had, I would say, slight discomfort, I would call it that way, in the right knee, but I haven’t had an injury that would be concerning me at all.
“I was playing a few tournaments with it, and no issues until today.”
Djokovic’s injury was discussed on the Tennis Podcast and sports commentator Catherine Whitaker called it “seismic news” and said “it’s bad”.
Host Matt Roberts noted that US pro Taylor Fritz went from being in a wheelchair to playing in Wimbledon in just four weeks, but agreed “this is bad for sure” for Djokovic.
“With Wimbledon on the horizon, the Olympics as well, at this stage we just don’t know how long he‘s going to be out for.
“It’s probably the first time he’s had a serious lower body injury… in the medium term it casts quite a lot of doubt over the summer,” he said, adding it could impact Djokovic’s motivation to continue playing tennis professionally.
“We might look back on this moment as something that really signalled the end… it could be that serious.”
Host David Law said Federer at one point recovered from a knee injury caused by a bathroom slip to win the Australian Open and three more grand slam titles.
“If anybody was going to do that in tennis today, I would believe that Novak Djokovic could do it.
“I also think he has the kind of build that seems like it can recover and so forth.”
He agreed that the injury could “finish” Djokovic.
Djokovic has spent a record 428 weeks at the top of the rankings. His injury extends his worst start to a season since 2018, when he didn’t win an event until claiming the Wimbledon title.
It is only the second time this deep into the year he hasn’t lifted a trophy since he won his first ATP title as a teenager in 2006.
Adding to his problems, he was accidentally hit on the head by a metal water bottle in Rome last month before suffering stomach problems in Geneva.
Djokovic last retired at a Grand Slam during the 2019 US Open, when a shoulder problem forced him to quit against Stan Wawrinka in the last 16.
He now faces a race against time to be fit for Wimbledon, which begins July 1. Djokovic is a seven-time winner at the All England Club, one shy of Roger Federer’s record.
– with AFP