Novak Djokovic has confirmed his knee surgery went well and that he will return to competition “as soon as possible” after undergoing the medical procedure shortly after his withdrawal from the French Open due to a torn medial meniscus.
“In the past day, I had to make some tough decisions after sustaining a meniscus tear during my last match,” Djokovic wrote on social media. “I’m still processing it all but I am happy to update you that the surgery went well. I am so appreciative of the team of doctors who have been by my side as well as the overwhelming support I have received from my fans.
“I’m going to do my best to be healthy and fit to return to the court as soon as possible. My love for this sport is strong and the desire to compete at the highest level is what keeps me going. Idemooo [Let’s go]”
The message was accompanied by a picture of Djokovic on crutches alongside his wife, Jelena, and members of his team with the Eiffel Tower behind them.
Djokovic injured his knee early in the second set of his French Open fourth round match against Francisco Cerundolo on Monday. Despite the significant injury, the Serb still plotted a remarkable recovery to win the match, pulling himself back after trailing two sets to one and a break in the fourth set.
After withdrawing from his quarter-final with Casper Ruud, Djokovic underwent surgery on his right knee on Wednesday morning in Paris. The procedure will require at least three weeks recovery time and means he will probably not compete at Wimbledon, where he would have been attempting to equal Roger Federer’s men’s record of eight singles titles.
Even if Djokovic’s recovery was ahead of schedule and he was capable of competing at Wimbledon, which begins on 1 July, he is likely to prioritise being prepared for the Olympics, which begins on 27 July, on the clay courts of Roland Garros. Changing surfaces so soon after an injury could lead to further injuries.
In 2018, after playing with an injured elbow for the first half of the year, Djokovic showed a reluctance to have surgery. He later admitted he cried for multiple days after the surgery, which would allow him to re-establish himself at the top of the sport. With the Olympics around seven weeks away, Djokovic had to move swiftly.
An Olympic gold medal is the only noteworthy singles achievement Djokovic lacks and he has repeatedly cited the Games and playing for his country as some of his biggest goals this year.
