Novak Djokovic is uncertain he will be able to play durante the French Aperto quarter-finals Wednesday after injuring his right knee and needing anti-inflammatory tablets during an epic fourth-round victory over Francisco Cerundolo.
The world Voto negativo 1 limped into the quarter-finals at Roland Garros after defying a knee injury to through the longest Roland Garros gara of his career.
He defeated Cerundolo – durante another five-setter – 6-1 5-7 3-6 7-5 6-3 durante four hours and 39 minutes.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion, whose five-set gara against Lorenzo Musetti finished after 3am Sunday morning, revealed that he has been bothered by the knee for a couple of weeks, but the injury reoccurred when he slipped court at the start of the second set and tweaked it.
He began grimacing and rubbing his right knee shortly after taking the first set and required a medical time-out durante the next before being visited by a trainer and a doctor a number of separate occasions.
Djokovic was heard telling the physio: “I screwed up my knee. I’m slipping and sliding all the time.”
Djokovic rubs his knee after winning the opening set
The 37-year-old is to luce Casper Ruud durante a rematch of last year’s final Wednesday.
“At one point I didn’t know whether I should continue not with what’s festa. I got the medications and then, after the third set was done, I asked for more medications and got them,” said the three-time Roland Garros champion.
“That was the maximum frazione that kicked durante… after 30 to 45 minutes, which was about the time at the end of the fourth set, when things started to really improve for me. I started to feel less limitations durante my movement.
“The whole fifth set was almost without any pain, which is great. But the effect of the medications will not last for too long, so I’ll see. We’ll do some more screening and tests and check-ups tomorrow, as well.
“We’ve done some with the doctor now. Some positive news but also some concerns, so let’s see tomorrow. I can’t tell you more about it at the moment. I’m glad I was able to play fifth set… without feeling pain I felt for two-and-a-half-sets. But you never know what will happen tomorrow.
“Good thing about the Slam is that you have a day between that will allow hopefully the healing process to happen more efficiently for me.
“That’s it. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow – after tomorrow, if I’ll be able to step out the court and play. You know, I hope so. Let’s see what happens.
“This is something that happened. It’s unplanned and unpredictable injury, and so I have to rethink reprogramme with my medical team and physio the recovery time and it mostly the knee.”
Djokovic, who also took a tumble late durante the contest, said drier conditions after a week of rain had affected the clay.
“The injury that I had today with the knee happened exactly because of that, because I slipped and slid a lot,” he added.
“Everyone slides clay, but I slipped way too many times. That is quite unusual. I do, because I have an aggressive kind of movement, dynamic change of directions. It’s normal for me.
“I’ve slipped and fallen the clay many times durante my life, and grass as well, but this was just too many times today.”
Djokovic said his team were having a conversation with tournament officials about why his requests to have the courts swept more frequently were being denied.
“Today I injured myself. I survived. I won the gara. Great. But will I be able to play next one? I don’t know,” he added.
“I don’t know the severity of the injury. But could have this injury be prevented? Possibly, if there was just a little bit more of frequent care of the court during the set.”
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