Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from Roland Garros, discovered a knee injury after an MRI scan.
Yesterday, Djokovic admitted to knee problems after winning his second five-set match at Roland Garros. The issue worsened after slipping during his match with Francisco Cerundolo on the clay-deficient Court Philippe Chatrier.
He then raced against time to be fit for his Wednesday match against Casper Ruud. However, he was not seen training on Tuesday at Bois de Boulogne. Djokovic later confirmed a torn meniscus in his knee, leading to his withdrawal from the tournament.
As a result, he loses the title without playing, resulting in a loss of 1,600 points. Jannik Sinner will become the 29th new No.1 in the ATP rankings on Monday, June 10. Carlos Alcaraz could overtake Djokovic if he wins The Musketeers’ Trophy on Sunday.
Djokovic hopes to return during the grass-court season, ending with Wimbledon (July 1-14). He was a finalist in the 2023 event against Carlos Alcaraz.
This isn’t the first time Djokovic has withdrawn early from a major. The last occurrence was at the 2019 US Open, where he was stopped in the round of 16 by Stan Wawrinka.
Djokovic’s withdrawal allows Ruud, last year’s finalist, to advance directly to the semi-finals without playing.