Novak Djokovic Injury Update: Alarming Reports Puts Casper Ruud in Pole Position of French Open Glory

While Novak Djokovic has entered the quarterfinals of the French Open, his sailing has been anything but smooth. In his previous two matches, the Serb has had to dig deep and ended up playing marathon matches. Now at 37, Djokovic is not in his peak physical shape as he used to be. Understandably, the matches spanning more than four and a half hours have eventually taken a toll on his body, and concerning reports emerged minutes ago.

The Serb will face Casper Ruud in the last-eight clash at Roland Garros tomorrow. However, ahead of this match, Djokovic reportedly underwent an MRI scan to check if anything was serious about the knee injury that he suffered while playing against Francisco Cerundolo. And things look a bit grim.

While the Serbian has canceled his practice session today, the result of the scan is awaited. If it doesn’t go Djokovic’s way, there are chances that he might withdraw from the tournament, putting his no. 1 ranking at risk.

During his fourth-round match yesterday, Djokovic was forced to take a medical timeout during the second set. He even called the physio and complained about the slippery conditions at the tournament. Additionally, he was also caught wrong-footed by Cerundolo multiple times, causing him to slip.

Meanwhile, Djokovic’s body language didn’t look very positive after the match despite his thrilling victory over Cerundolo. He even admitted to being unsure about playing further in the tournament.

Is this the end of Novak Djokovic at the French Open?

The Serb was involved in an interview after his marathon match against Cerundolo in which he highlighted his knee injury. The damp conditions on the clay court didn’t help his cause as he slipped multiple times, further aggravating his injury.

Djokovic revealed, “A few weeks ago I started having pain in my right knee, but so far there have been no major problems. Honestly, I think I went into the match really well, I played well in the first set and half of the second, then the pain started. I called a physical therapist and asked for a medical break to help me. I didn’t know if I could continue or not.”

Further, he went on to add, “We’ll see what happens, tomorrow I’ll do another check and then I can say more. We’ll see after the tests tomorrow if I can stay on the pitch and play another game. I won today, but I don’t know if I will be able to continue playing.”

Meanwhile, Djokovic’s fans would be praying that the MRI scan doesn’t reveal anything serious and the 24-time Grand Slam champion is able to continue in the tournament after putting on a gritty show. Can Djokovic shrug off his knee problems and defend his French Open crown? Let us know your views in the comments below.