The shock result of Tuesday at Roland Garros didn’t involve the tennis ball being struck. Less than 24 hours after his miraculous five-set win in the fourth round against Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo, Novak Djokovic announced that he was withdrawing from this year’s event.
He spent the morning getting an MRI and the result was a torn medial meniscus in his right knee. This will mean the defending French Open champion will not defend his title, and more importantly at age 37, it shrouds the rest of his career in question, if not doubt. Norway’s Casper Ruud—who lost to Djokovic in the 2023 Roland Garros final—advanced to the semifinals via walkover.
Ironically, the news came as the successor to the No. 1 ranking, Jannik Sinner, was on court. The 22-year-old Australian Open winner was positioned well at No. 2, and with Djokovic’s withdrawal, became the latest No. 1 player in the ATP rankings. Although this isn't necessarily the way he wanted to inherit the top ranking, it’s a 52-week accumulation of points, so rest assured it’s well deserved.
🥇 THIS IS JANNIK'S MOMENT 🥇
Sinner becomes the first-ever Italian man to achieve ATP No.1 Presented by PIF 🇮🇹 👏#S1NNER | #PIF | #ATPRankings | #partner pic.twitter.com/pvAfiACbPO
Some air went out of the tournament with this announcement today. Djokovic’s injury makes it unlikely for him to play at Wimbledon, where he is the seven-time champion. One wonders if he will be able to come back to this venue and play in the 2024 Olympics in August, which has been his long-asserted goal. And it makes you wonder, even for a player known for his persistence and determination, about the motivation to try to come back.
They will crown a new men’s French Open champion on Sunday. Alas, today we can already crown Father Time as a pivotal winner of this event.
JON WERTHEIM
Sports Illustrated executive editor and senior writer L. Jon Wertheim is one of the most accomplished sports journalists in America.
