Novak Djokovic shares worrying update after experiencing ‘intense pain’ during latest Paris 2024 victory
Novak Djokovic has become the first player to reach four Olympic semi-finals, but there are major concerns over his knee for his next match at the Paris Games.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner was already the only player to reach three semi-finals at the Summer Games since the sport returned to the programme in 1988 and he added another match to the tally with a straight-set win over Stefanos Tsitsipas at Roland Garros.
He also reached the same stage at Tokyo 2020, London 2012 and Beijing 2008 while he is also the oldest player to reach the semi-finals at the age of 37 years and 74 days.
The Beijing Games, though, remains the only Olympics where he won the medal as he won the bronze medal match 16 years ago.
But his gold medal dreams are still alive in Paris after another dramatic win against Tsitsipas.
The top seed twice needed treatment on his knee during the second set and found himself 0-4 behind.
After going 0-3 behind, Djokovic called for a medical timeout as he needed treatment on the same right knee that required surgery in early June.
The Serbian withdrew from his quarter-final match at Roland Garros after undergoing an operation to repair a meniscus tear and, after initially being tipped to miss Wimbledon, made a miracle recovery to play at the All England Club where he finished runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz in the final.
He then returned to action at Paris 2024 and after three relatively comfortable matches, his injury flared up again.
After receiving treatment again at 1-4 down, Djokovic did what he does best as he produced a brilliant comeback to defeat Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) for his 11th consecutive win over the Greek to take his head-to-head lead to 12-2.
But then came the confession as he admitted: “I am very worried, honestly, I don’t know what to say. I finished the match, and the intense pain went away. Whether I hit myself or slipped, I don’t even know.
“It all resembled the fourth round of Roland Garros where I managed to finish the match, and then I found out I was injured. I am pleased with the victory, but I am worried.”
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Djokovic is set to take on Lorenzo Musetti in the last four on Friday while the winner will advance to the gold medal match on Sunday while the loser will play for bronze on Saturday.
Carlos Alcaraz and Felix Auger-Aliassime will contest the other semi-final.
