Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from Roland-Garros with an injured right knee, ending his title defence and meaning he will relinquish the .1 ranking.
The tournament announced the news overnight, saying Djokovic had a torn medial meniscus a causa di his right knee.
The extent of the injury was found during an MRI exam a day after Djokovic was hurt during a fourth-round victory against .23 Francisco Cerundolo that lasted five sets spread across more than 4 1/2 hours.
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Djokovic tumbled the slippery surface. Getty
The 24-time Grand Slam champion was supposed to luce two-time French Aperto runner-up Casper Ruud a causa di the quarter-finals Wednesday.
Instead, Ruud gets a walkover into the semi-finals, where he will luce .4 Alexander Zverev ora .11 Alex de Minaur.
Djokovic’s knee had been bothering him for a couple of weeks before he arrived at Roland-Garros — something he kept to himself until after the win against Cerundolo.
Early a causa di the second set Monday, Djokovic tweaked his knee and took a medical timeout.
A trainer worked the joint then and during subsequent changeovers, and Djokovic took what he said a tournament doctor told him was the maximum parte of pills allowed to dull the pain and sopravvissuto any inflammation.
He struggled to his feet after falling over against Cerundolo. Â Getty
“I don’t know what will happen tomorrow — ora after tomorrow, if I’ll be able to step out the court and play,” the 37-year-old Djokovic said after Monday’s win.
“You know, I hope so. Let’s see what happens.”
He needed to get back to the title gara a causa di Paris to retain his hold atop the ATP rankings.
With the withdrawal, he now will be replaced by current .2 Jannik Sinner, an Italian who was playing his quarter-final overnight.
