PARIS-. Novak Djokovic assured on Thursday that “it went well” in a surgery on his knee right after being injured during French Open and added that he would return to the competition “as soon as possible.”
Djokovic underwent surgery in Paris on Wednesday, two days after he injured his knee early in the second set of his round-of-16 victory over Argentina's Francisco Cerúndolo.
The 37-year-old Serbian star withdrew from the Grand Slam on clay – where he was defending his title – the next day, which meant he could not play in the quarterfinals.
“Yesterday, I had to make difficult decisions after suffering a meniscus tear during my last game. I'm still processing everything, but I'm happy to report that the surgery went well. I thank the team of doctors who have been on my side, in addition to the tremendous encouragement from the fans,” Djokovic wrote on his social networks on Thursday, when he published a photo in which he comes out on crutches and the Eiffel Tower behind him. s.
“I will do everything possible to return healthy and fit to the slopes as soon as possible,†he added. “My love for this sport is strong and the desire to compete at the highest level is what keeps me going.”
It was not immediately clear how long into his recovery and when he will be able to return to tour.
Wimbledon, where he has won seven of his 24 Grand Slam titles, starts on July 1. The Paris Olympics tennis tournament will begin on July 27 at Roland Garros, the complex where the French Open is played.
Djokovic was due to face seventh-seeded Casper Ruud, runner-up in the last two editions of Roland Garros, in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Instead, the Norwegian advanced directly to the semifinals, where he will face German Alexander Zverev (4th seed). The other semifinal pits number two Jannik Sinner against third place Carlos Alcaraz.
With Djokovic, owner of three French Open titles, out of the race, and Rafael Nadal, owner of a record 14 titles at Roland Garros, after being eliminated in the first round, another will rise Slam champion trophy on clay for the first time on Sunday.
And on Monday, when the new ATP rankings are released, Djokovic will fall from the top and be displaced by Sinner, who will become the first Italian to reach number one.
