Novak Djokovic’s French Open campaign is under threat due to a knee injury sustained during his five-set victory over Argentine Francisco Cerundolo on Monday. The top-seeded Serbian, who battled through a marathon match against Lorenzo Musetti in the previous round, secured his quarter-final spot after four hours and 39 minutes, winning 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Djokovic, 37, revealed he had been experiencing mild discomfort in his right knee for several weeks. The injury worsened when he slipped and tweaked his knee during the third game of the second set. “At one point I didn’t know whether I should continue,” Djokovic admitted, noting that medication he received after the third set provided relief by the end of the fourth.
“The whole fifth set was almost without any pain, which is great,” Djokovic said. However, he acknowledged the temporary nature of the medication’s effects and planned further medical assessments. “We’ve done some with the doctor now. Some positive news but also some concerns, so let’s see tomorrow.”
Djokovic attributed the injury to unusually slippery conditions on the clay courts, exacerbated by drier weather after a week of rain. “Everyone slides on clay, but I slipped way too many times,” he explained. He noted that his dynamic movement style made slipping a common occurrence, but Monday’s frequency was abnormal. Djokovic’s requests for more frequent court sweeping had been denied, prompting his team to discuss the issue with tournament officials.
Djokovic is set to face seventh seed Casper Ruud in a rematch of last year’s final. Despite his victory over Cerundolo, Djokovic remains uncertain about his ability to compete in the next round. “I don’t know the severity of the injury. But could have this injury been prevented? Possibly, if there was just a little bit more frequent care of the court during the set.”
