PARIS – Serbia’s Novak Djokovic announced on Tuesday that he was withdrawing from Roland Garros due to a knee injury, ushering in a new era of tennis with the arrival of Jannik Sinner at world number one, the first Italian in history at the top of the rankings.
Djokovic pulls out of Roland Garros
‘Due to a torn medial meniscus in his right knee, discovered during an MRI scan today, Novak Djokovic, who was due to face Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals tomorrow, has been forced to withdraw from the Roland-Garros tournament,’ the French Open organisers said.
The possibility of retirement had already been anticipated on Monday night by the 37-year-old Serb after his dramatic 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 win over Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo in four hours and 39 minutes.
Djokovic repeatedly complained during the match about the state of the centre court and how slippery the loose powder on the backcourt was.
‘I got injured today. Yes, I survived. I won the match. Great, but will I be able to play the next one? I don’t know. I don’t know the severity of the injury. But could this injury have been avoided? Possibly, if, you know, if there was just a little bit more frequent care of the court during the set.’
With Djokovic’s exit from the tournament, Norway’s Casper Ruud has now qualified directly for the semi-finals.
