Update on Novak Djokovic’s recovery ahead of Wimbledon as surgeon responds to ‘unfair criticism’

Novak Djokovic has been warned it will be “really difficult” to get back to full fitness in time for Wimbledon following an operation.

The tennis great is currently recovering after undergoing surgery on his right knee after suffering a torn medial meniscus during his fourth round match at Roland Garros.

Djokovic slipped early in the match against Francisco Cerundolo and required treatment throughout the match, but he still managed to win in five sets.

The following day, he announced his withdrawal from the tournament and underwent surgery at a Paris clinic with an initial recovery time of between three and six weeks.

As Wimbledon begins on July 1, major question marks remain over her participation in the grass-court Grand Slam and Antoana Geromete, the surgeon who performed the procedure, said the rehabilitation process was on track and admitted that it would be difficult for Djokovic. be in good shape three weeks after the operation.

“In the 45 minutes we spent with Novak, his team and Vincent Guiard, the doctor from the French Tennis Federation, I was very open about the fact that everything would depend on the reaction of his knee,” he said. he declares. The Team.

“By gradually increasing the load, we will see if it remains ‘dry’ and without swelling or pain. It will be progress day by day, but it is impossible to predict the state in which it will be in a week, two, etc. But being 100% in three weeks seems really difficult to achieve.”

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Djokovic could choose to take no risks at Wimbledon and focus all his attention on the Paris 2024 Games, which will also take place at Roland Garros.

The 24-time Grand Slam winner sees the Hamburg European Open as a warm-up event for the Olympics.

Djokovic has often been accused of faking his injuries and question marks have also been raised over the severity of the injury when he fought against Cerundolo.

But Geromete said it was extraordinary that Djokovic managed to continue playing.

“He’s a real force of nature because given the nature of the injury, what he did was extraordinary,” he said.

“Up to 99% of people would likely end up in the emergency room immediately with a ‘locked’ knee. This is a mechanical blockage, and the reality is that only surgery can fix it. This calls into question the unfair criticism of him and the interpretations of those who say it is not a real injury.”