“The king has not yet been dethroned,” Mats Wilander has high praise for Novak Djokovic, who was forced to pull out of the Roland Garros due to an injury

Novak Djokovic undergoes knee surgery after nasty fall at the French Open.

“The king has not yet been dethroned,” Mats Wilander has high praise for Novak Djokovic, who was forced to pull out of the Roland Garros due to an injury

Mats Wilander and Novak Djokovic (Via Imago)

Novak Djokovic has had a very unfortunate 2024. With no title wins or even final appearances, this is turning out to be one of his worst years playing on tour. However, his misery does not end here as he is hit up with an injury.

It seemed the Serbian had found his mojo at the French Open and was cruising past his rounds in style. He even played a couple of 5-setter matches, where he ended up winning to make it to the quarterfinals. However, with that second win, came an injury update.

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Djokovic had suffered a nasty fall during his fourth match round against Francisco Cerundolo, which made him lose two sets on the trot. However, the Serbian took painkillers which came into effect at the fourth set where he then started making a comeback before winning the match. However, the next day, he took an MRI scan, which revealed a meniscus tear in his right knee, forcing him to withdraw.

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After the MRI scan, Djokovic confirmed his withdrawal, giving Casper Ruud a walkthrough into the semi-finals. The Serbian also lost his title as World No. 1 to Jannik Sinner.

Tennis expert Mats Wilander is adamant that Djokovic has not been dethroned, and he still considers him the best merely because his exit took place due to an injury and not on a loss.

The king has not yet been dethroned. As long as he (Djokovic) is there, for me, he remains the best. He drops to second place in the world because of a health problem. Not on a defeat.

Mats Wilander said via Lequipe

Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon dreams may be in jeopardy as he undergoes knee surgery

Novak Djokovic recently had to undergo knee surgery after suffering a nasty fall in his fourth-round match at the French Open. Although the surgery is a small one, the rehabilitation time may effectively rule him out of Wimbledon.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia receives medical treatment during the ninth day of Roland-Garros 2024
Novak Djokovic of Serbia receives medical treatment during the ninth day of Roland-Garros 2024 (Via Imago)

With Wimbledon starting in less than a month, the Serbian would hope that his knee reacts rightly and the recovery process is just as short. However, there are still many controversies around this situation, as many fans are accusing the Serbian of faking an injury.

Nonetheless, the Serbian will surely update his fans on his health and Wimbledon participation. As of now, the French Open continues as four players have it to the semi-finals. One match-up is between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, and the other will be between Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev.

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