Against all odds, Novak Djokovic decided to compete in Wimbledon 2024, despite the operation on his knee. The chances of seeing him play on British grass were practically nil, but the Serbian gave himself a chance. He left the discomfort behind and appears at the oldest tennis tournament in the world, where debuts opposite checo Vit Kopriva.
On July 3, while playing the fourth round of Roland GarrosNole was injured against Francisco Cerúndolo and on one leg he turned an impressive game around. The next day he did not hesitate and quickly made the decision to go to the operating room to begin recovery as soon as possible for the next important tournament and the Olympic Games.
He wanted to be present in the capital of England and that is why he consulted with his colleagues who went through similar situations.
The experience of other tennis players was what finally convinced Nole to take the risk: “Taylor Fritz told me that 21 days later he played his first round at Wimbledon. Wawrinka, Lindsey Vonn also shared their experiences.”
Then, the top Grand Slam winner and considered by many the best tennis player in history, continued: “I had a lot of faith and optimism that, if the rehabilitation is done well and if the knee responds, there would be a good chance of playing at Wimbledon. I had very intense sessions, I trained with Sinner, Tiafoe, Medvedev y Rune and the knee responded very well to everything.”
Novak Djokovic’s early return
The tennis world does not understand why the Serbian accelerated his recovery, without being in optimal condition to compete at Wimbledon. At a press conference, it was one of the first questions and Nole responded: “My wife also asked me… I have 37 years and maybe I should risk less and prepare for the Olympics. I have the feeling of not missing a Grand Slam as long as I can play, as long as I am active and at this level.
In addition, the number two in the ATP ranking referred to his presence at Wimbledon 2024 and explained: “I wanted to see how quickly I could recover and be able to compete in the best of five on grass against the best in the world. “I didn’t come to play a few rounds, I want to go for the title.”.
The recommendation of the specialists
“This is not ideal for doctors and the specialists, who They advised me to rest for 3 and 6 weeks so as not to risk, but it is something that is decided individually. My knee is fine, the last three days made me optimistic that “I can compete at the highest level.”said the man born in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.
When does Novak Djokovic debut at Wimbledon 2024
The Serbian, who won this Grand Slam seven times, will have his debut this Tuesday against Vit Nettle. The Czech arrives after beating Richard Gasquet in four sets, in which he started losing: he won 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 and 6-4. The number 123 in the ATP ranking is looking to make a splash. against a Nole who wants to continue making history.