Novak Djokovic’s pursuit of an elusive Olympic gold medal took a dramatic turn on Thursday as the world number one battled through a grueling quarter-final victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas while nursing a persistent knee injury. The 37-year-old Serbian emerged triumphant with a 6-3, 7-6(3) scoreline but admitted to facing an uncertain future in the tournament.
The match was punctuated by moments of intense physical discomfort for Djokovic, who required on-court medical treatment after slipping on the slippery Court Philippe Chatrier. The issue appeared to be with his right knee, the same joint that underwent surgery in June. The Serbian found himself trailing by a substantial margin in the second set, facing a daunting 2-5 deficit before staging a remarkable comeback to save three set points and ultimately clinch the tiebreak.
Despite the victory, Djokovic’s immediate focus shifted to the health of his knee. “I will have to check with my medical team,” he said post-match. “It’s good that I managed to get it done in straight sets and finish the match. But I also finished my fourth-round match at the French Open and then discovered that I had torn my meniscus.”
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The Serbian champion expressed his concern about the potential severity of the injury, stating, “I need to see what happens now. I don’t know what to say. It’s day by day. I hope I can be physically fit for tomorrow.”
Djokovic’s road to Olympic glory is now fraught with uncertainty. He will face Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in the semi-finals on Friday, a match that will undoubtedly test the limits of his physical endurance. The Serbian’s ability to recover sufficiently from the latest setback will be crucial to his hopes of securing a place in the gold medal match.
As one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Djokovic’s Olympic journey has been a long-awaited pursuit. However, the persistent knee issue threatens to derail his quest for the coveted gold medal. The tennis world will be watching with bated breath as the Serbian champion battles through the pain and uncertainty of the next few days.
