“His body no longer reacts in the same way,” Justine Henin expresses concerns over Novak Djokovic’s physical issues after Roland Garros withdrawal

Novak Djokovic is experiencing his worst start to a tennis season since 2018.

“His body no longer reacts in the same way,” Justine Henin expresses concerns over Novak Djokovic’s physical issues after Roland Garros withdrawal

Justine Henin and Novak Djokovic (via Imago)

Former World No.1 Justine Henin has expressed concerns over Novak Djokovic’s physical problems in the twilight of his career. The 24-time Grand Slam champion withdrew from the Roland Garros quarter-final scheduled for tomorrow, citing a torn meniscus.

Talking to France Television, Henin saluted Djokovic for his achievements in tennis. However, she doubted whether his body would keep responding to the demands that the Serbian puts on himself going into every major tournament.

YouTube video
And that's also why we almost found it hard to believe it, because he didn't get us used to that, because he played a lot with injuries and he always found this strength to overcome a lot of things. He had very good career management with this longevity. Now the real question is his body, at his age, after everything he has accomplished, he no longer necessarily reacts in the same way.
Justine Henin said on France Television

Djokovic had told the media going into this year’s Roland Garros that he wasn’t at 100%. The Serbian is currently going through his worst tennis season since 2018, winning zero titles for the season and not even making one final.

FS Video
We still saw him, physically, in the tough for a few months, he who had so much presence in defense with this solidity. We see how much he had to adapt in his game by becoming more aggressive, more offensive and even better at managing important moments to save himself. This is where he was again masterful last season and today it is getting harder and harder.
Justine Henin added

However, his physical condition raised questions in his 4th round match against Francisco Cerundolo. After winning the first set comfortably, he needed a medical timeout in the second set due to some discomfort in his knee. Despite the limited movement, Djokovic got the better of his opponent in five sets.

What is next for Novak Djokovic after Roland Garros withdrawal?

Well, the answer to this question is simply recovery. The fans of Novak Djokovic will be praying that their hero will be perfectly fit for the upcoming tournaments. The reason is that the 24-time Grand Slam champion has a massive schedule ahead.

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic clapping the fans after winning his third round (via Imago)

Considering his torn meniscus, Djokovic is expected to sit out the grass court tournaments in the buildup to Wimbledon. His first tournament after Roland Garros is likely to be at SW19, where he has been victorious on seven occasions. However, he lost the final last season to Carlos Alcaraz in five sets.

After Wimbledon, Djokovic will return to Paris for the Olympic Games. The Serbian has always dreamed of winning gold for his country. He faltered in the semi-finals in 2021, losing to Alexander Zverev in three sets. With injury concerns and a lack of winning form, it is clear that he will be under a cloud when the Olympic Games start.

Djokovic will be on borrowed time after the Paris Olympics, as he will travel to North America for the Masters 1000 tournaments, where he will decide whether to play in Toronto, Cincinnati, or both. After that, he will start preparing for his defense at the US Open, where he is a four-time champion.

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