PARIS — Novak Djokovic’s disappointing season continued on Tuesday when the defending French Open champion was compelled to drag out of the Grand Slam earlier than his quarter-final because of a knee challenge.
The damage, sustained in his fourth-round win over Francisco Cerundolo, ended the Serb’s quest for a record-extending twenty fifth Grand Slam trophy and can end in him shedding the world primary rating to Jannik Sinner later this month.
“As a result of a torn medial meniscus in his proper knee (found throughout an MRI scan), Djokovic, who was speculated to play Casper Ruud within the quarter-finals tomorrow, has been compelled to withdraw from the Roland Garros match,” organizers mentioned.
Final 12 months’s runner-up and seventh seed Ruud will now advance to the semi-finals, the place he might face fourth seed Alexander Zverev or eleventh seed Alex de Minaur.
Monday’s marathon match was the second straight conflict during which Djokovic was taken to 5 units after his epic towards Lorenzo Musetti and he has spent over 9 hours on courtroom within the final two rounds on the 12 months’s second main.
The Serb mentioned he had been carrying an damage for a few weeks and that the issue had flared up when he slipped throughout his match towards Cerundolo.
The damage might additionally forged doubts over his health for subsequent month’s Wimbledon.
It has been a season to neglect for Djokovic after his bid for a record-extending eleventh Australian Open title was ended by eventual champion Sinner within the semi-finals, earlier than he misplaced to fortunate loser Luca Nardi early at Indian Wells.
Having been surprised by Ruud within the Monte Carlo semi-finals, Djokovic was thrashed 6-2 6-3 by Alejandro Tabilo within the third spherical in Rome final month, two days after being hit on the pinnacle by a fan’s water bottle whereas signing autographs.
Djokovic continues to be with out a trophy this season after probably the most dominant seasons of his profession in 2023 throughout which he claimed three of the 4 Grand Slam titles. — Reuters
