Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the French Open before his quarterfinal against Casper Ruud because of a knee injury suffered in the previous round.
World number one and 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic was due to play Ruud on Wednesday for a place in the last four. Djokovic defeated Ruud in straight sets in last year’s final at Roland Garros.
“I am really sad to announce that I have to withdraw from Roland Garros,” Djokovic wrote on social media on Tuesday.
“I played with my heart and gave my all in yesterday’s match and unfortunately, due to a medial meniscus tear in my right knee, my team and I had to make a tough decision after careful consideration and consultation.”
Tournament organisers had initially announced his withdrawal, saying an MRI scan earlier on Tuesday had revealed the full extent of the injury.
Ruud will now go on to face fourth seed Alexander Zverev or 11th seed Alex de Minaur in the semifinals on Friday.
The 37-year-old Djokovic had cast doubt on his fitness following Monday’s five-set win over Francisco Cerundolo, admitting he needed anti-inflammatory drugs to get through the match.
Djokovic blamed the “slippery” Philippe Chatrier court for the injury he sustained early in the second set of his 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over Cerundolo.
“I don’t know what will happen tomorrow or after tomorrow if I’ll be able to step out on the court and play. You know, I hope so. Let’s see what happens,” Djokovic said after his record 370th win at a Grand Slam.
“For the last couple weeks I have had, I would say, slight discomfort, I would call it that way, in the right knee, but I haven’t had an injury that would be concerning me at all.
Tennis star Karue Sell has hit out at the prize money available to lower-ranked players on the ATP tour and called on Novak Djokovic’s union to demand ‘change’. The Brazilian has broken into the world’s top 300 for the first time in his career but has earned only £18,000 ($25,000) this year.
Sell, who also earns an income through documenting his career on YouTube, insists tennis has outgrown the traditional top 100 and players further down the ATP leaderboard deserve better pay.
The 30-year-old is now ranked 299th in the world after reaching the semi-final at the Las Vegas challenger event last week. But he has claimed he could earn more by packing in his tennis career for a role at McDonald’s and wants the Djokovic-founded Professional Tennis Players’ Association to step in.
“Today I broke 300 for the first time. Yet I’d make more money working at McDonald’s,” he wrote on X alongside a crying-laughing emoji.
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