Why Novak Djokovic should skip Wimbledon to prioritize Olympic glory at Paris 2024
Novak Djokovic was forced to withdraw from the French Open quarterfinal this year, following which Casper Ruud advanced to the semifinal, while the Serb underwent knee surgery.
An underlying issue that was aggravated during Djokovic's fourth-round win over Francisco Cerundolo at Roland Garros not only took away the Serb's chance of defending his title and claiming his fourth French Open victory but also ended his reign of the longest time spent as World No.1, as both Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz climbed above Djokovic in the ATP rankings.
Soon after the surgery, Djokovic took to social media to share that his knee surgery went well. He took to X and wrote:
"In the past day, I had to make some tough decisions after sustaining a meniscus tear during my last match. I’m still processing it all but I am happy to update you that the surgery went well. I am so appreciative of the team of doctors who have been by my side…"
While a successful surgery brought relief among tennis fans, there are concerns surrounding his recovery period, raising doubts about the Serb being ready to be able to play at Wimbledon. The Paris Olympics taking place right after the said Championship may force a still-recovering Djokovic to prioritize one event over the other.
Djokovic's withdrawal from French Open 2024
Novak Djokovic attempted to defend his French Open title this year but was forced to withdraw from the tournament owing to an injury that he largely attributed to the surface at Roland Garros. Speaking about the same, he said (via The Sun):
“Because of the drier conditions and sun and warmer conditions, it affects the clay in such a way that it becomes very slippery. So the injury that I had today with the knee happened exactly because of that, because I slipped, and I slide a lot. Everyone slides on clay, but I slipped way too many times. That is quite unusual."
"Of course I do, because I have an aggressive kind of movement, dynamic change of directions. It’s normal for me, I’ve slipped and fell on the clay many times in my life, and on grass as well, but this was just too many times,” he added.
With Wimbledon starting on July 1, the Serb is in a race against time to return to the courts to compete at the Grand Slam, where he lost to current World No. 2, Carlos Alcaraz last year.
In this regard, Djokovic's withdrawal from the French Open due to injury further raises questions regarding his participation in Wimbledon and also whether it is the right call to take part in the Grand Slam, when a once-in-four-year prestigious event like the Olympics awaits the Serb soon after.
Prioritizing the Olympics over Wimbledon
Novak Djokovic recently took to Instagram to share a video of him indulging in a fitness session that he seemed to be participating in with comfort, suggesting that the Serb is recovering well and is likely to take part in Wimbledon.
On one hand, Djokovic is a seven-time Wimbledon champion and would be eager to reclaim the title, but on the other hand, he has an opportunity to win his first-ever Olympic gold medal. Earlier this year, Djokovic also claimed that the Olympics are a priority for him and said (via Eurosport):
"The Paris Olympics are very important - the Olympics have always been a priority for me. "
"But in the last three or four Olympics, it's not been possible for me to reach the later stages," he added.
Taking the future into consideration, the 37-year-old may or may not be a part of the international tennis circuit at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, thereby increasing the stakes for him in Paris this year.
Speaking about the same, former Swedish tennis player and Eurosport expert, Mats Wilander said (via Eurosport):
"You watch Rafa [Nadal] play here and what he said afterwards, and he’s still keen to play more. We know Novak is keen to play for a couple more years. Hopefully, he can get back."
“Wimbledon is important, but the Olympics is way more important for Novak Djokovic. That’s what he has to get ready for.”
Similarly, former tennis player Arnaud di Pasquale believes that the Serb can play in London but how he would perform is another question. He said (via Tennis 365):
“With Novak, nothing is impossible. But under what conditions? If it’s not 100%, I don’t believe it, it’s not to make up the numbers."
While everyone wonders whether Djokovic will participate in Wimbledon this year, the consequences of his decision could potentially dictate his chances of winning an Olympic gold. In the context of Djokovic's recent surgery, it is hard to deny that perhaps prioritizing Paris over London might be a more suitable choice.