Novak Djokovic expressed concern about his surgically repaired right knee after experiencing pain during his 6-3, 7-6 (3) win against Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Paris Games on Thursday night. This victory earned Djokovic a spot in the Olympic semifinals for the fourth time as he aims for his first gold medal.
“I’m worried about the knee’s condition. I don’t have detailed information yet. I need to have it checked with my physio and the tournament’s medical team,” said Djokovic, a 37-year-old from Serbia who will compete against Lorenzo Musetti of Italy on Friday.
“I’m hoping to be ready,” Djokovic added. Carlos Alcaraz from Spain will face Felix Auger-Aliassime from Canada in the other men’s semifinal.
Djokovic mentioned feeling “sharp pain” early in the second set against Tsitsipas at Court Philippe Chatrier, the same venue where he initially injured his meniscus on June 3 during the French Open, leading to his withdrawal from the tournament.
He had surgery in Paris on June 5 but returned to compete at Wimbledon less than a month later. There, he wore a gray sleeve on his knee and reached the final, where he lost to Alcaraz.
On Thursday, Djokovic, still wearing the sleeve, was seen by a trainer while down 3-0 in the second set and took anti-inflammatory medication when the score was 4-1.
The medication helped, Djokovic said, “But its effects will wear off by tomorrow morning. So, I will have a clearer idea of my condition then and hope for the best.”
Despite his impressive achievements—more Grand Slam titles, total trophies, and weeks at No. 1 than any other man in tennis history—Djokovic still lacks an Olympic gold medal, having won bronze in Beijing in 2008.
