Serbian tennis star and defending champion Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the ongoing French Open due to a right knee injury.
The official French Open Twitter account announced the news just hours after Djokovic advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Francisco Cerundolo in a thrilling five-set match.
In his quarterfinal match, Djokovic displayed his trademark resilience by coming back from a two-set deficit to win. However, it was evident that he was struggling with his right knee throughout the match. Djokovic mentioned, “For the last couple of weeks, I have had slight discomfort in the right knee, but I have not had an injury that would concern me at all. I was playing a few tournaments with it, and had no issues until today.”
With Djokovic’s withdrawal, the path has cleared for other players to advance. Casper Ruud, a two-time French Open finalist, has advanced to the semifinals and is set to face either Alexander Zverev or Alex de Minaur for a spot in the final.
Djokovic’s withdrawal also has significant implications for the ATP Rankings. Jannik Sinner is now guaranteed the top spot, making him the first-ever Italian player to achieve this feat.
