"I'll have to play my best tennis" - Holger Rune alert ahead of "tough battle" against Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon 4R despite Serb's recent surgery
Holger Rune has shared his cautiousness ahead of his fourth-round clash against Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon 2024, despite Djokovic's recent knee surgery. The Serb tore his meniscus during his fourth-round match against Francisco Cerundolo at the 2024 French Open and subsequently underwent surgery in Paris. As a result, he couldn't play before starting his Wimbledon campaign.
The Serb returned despite the challenges, defeating Vit Kopriva, Jacob Fearnley, and Alexei Popyrin in the first three rounds, notably while wearing a kneecap. Even though Djokovic has yet to attain his full potential, Holger Rune takes a different perspective and is approaching his clash against the former with seriousness.
Speaking during the press conference following his third-round win, the Dane expressed his anticipation of a "tough battle" against Djokovic, acknowledging his status as one of the toughest competitors.
"I expect a tough battle. It's always going to be like that when you play Novak. He's one of the toughest competitors of all time and one of the most successful. I expect a high level from him," Rune said (Via Punto de Break).
The 21-year-old shared his experience of training with Djokovic, adding that he showed no movement issues despite his recent surgery. Moreover, the Dane acknowledged that he must play his best tennis in the upcoming round.
"I know he had surgery recently, but to be honest, I trained with him the first week and he seems to be moving very well, with confidence. I'll have to play my best tennis if I want to have a chance of beating him. That's what I'm going to try to do," he added.
Rune faced a challenging third-round match against Quentin Halys, initially trailing 0-2 against the French. Despite this, he staged a remarkable comeback, ultimately winning the match 1-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-1.
Novak Djokovic recently admitted that his right knee continues to hinder his movement on the court
Speaking to the reporters after his second-round win at Wimbledon, Djokovic expressed dissatisfaction with his current form, noting that his right knee still impedes his movement on the court.
"It’s not yet there where I want it to be. Kind of late on the balls that I’m normally not late on. That’s the part which I guess comes with matches. So, the longer I stay in the tournament, I think the better the chances that my movement will improve," he said.
Despite experiencing rustiness in his movement, the Serb felt confident in his readiness and didn't dwell on the fear of re-injury.
"The earlier rounds is where I’m still a little bit rusty on the movement, I think. That’s what I felt today, at least. But yeah, I don’t worry about reinjuring my knee. I don’t have time nor energy to think about it, nor do I think it’s worth it. I wouldn’t be here unless I think that, not just myself, but the whole team, that I’m ready to compete at this level," he added.
Djokovic dominated last year winning three Grand Slam titles but hasn't been able to replicate that success in 2024, where he's yet to claim a title. His best performance came at the Australian Open, the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters, and the Gonet Geneva Open, where he reached the semifinals.