Novak Djokovic is unsure he’ll be capable of play within the French Open quarter-finals on Wednesday after injuring his proper knee and needing anti-inflammatory tablets throughout an epic fourth-round victory over Francisco Cerundolo.
The world No 1 limped into the quarter-finals at Roland Garros after defying a knee damage to return by means of the longest Roland Garros match of his profession.
He defeated Cerundolo – in one other five-setter – 6-1 5-7 3-6 7-5 6-3 in 4 hours and 39 minutes.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion, whose five-set match in opposition to Lorenzo Musetti completed after 3am on Sunday morning, revealed that he has been bothered by the knee for a few weeks, however the damage reoccurred when he slipped on courtroom in the beginning of the second set and tweaked it.
He started grimacing and rubbing his proper knee shortly after taking the primary set and required a medical time-out within the subsequent earlier than being visited by a coach and a physician on a variety of separate events.
Djokovic was heard telling the physio: “I screwed up my knee. I’m slipping and sliding all the time.”
The 37-year-old is because of face Casper Ruud in a rematch of final 12 months’s closing on Wednesday.
“At one point I didn’t know whether I should continue or not with what’s happening. I got the medications and then, after the third set was done, I asked for more medications and got them,” mentioned the three-time Roland Garros champion.
“That was the maximum dose that kicked in… after 30 to 45 minutes, which was about the time at the end of the fourth set, when things started to really improve for me. I started to feel less limitations in my movement.
“The entire fifth set was virtually with none ache, which is nice. However the impact of the drugs is not going to final for too lengthy, so I will see. We’ll do some extra screening and checks and check-ups tomorrow, as nicely.
“We’ve done some with the doctor now. Some positive news but also some concerns, so let’s see tomorrow. I can’t tell you more about it at the moment. I’m glad I was able to play fifth set… without feeling pain I felt for two-and-a-half-sets. But you never know what will happen tomorrow.
“Benefit of the Slam is that you’ve got a day between that can enable hopefully the therapeutic course of to occur extra effectively for me.
“That’s it. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow – or after tomorrow, if I’ll be able to step out on the court and play. You know, I hope so. Let’s see what happens.
“That is one thing that occurred. It is unplanned and unpredictable damage, and so I’ve to rethink or reprogramme with my medical group and physio the restoration time and focus it totally on the knee.”
Djokovic, who additionally took a tumble late within the contest, mentioned drier situations after every week of rain had affected the clay.
“The injury that I had today with the knee happened exactly because of that, because I slipped and slid a lot,” he added.
“Everyone slides on clay, but I slipped way too many times. That is quite unusual. I do, because I have an aggressive kind of movement, dynamic change of directions. It’s normal for me.
“I’ve slipped and fallen on the clay many occasions in my life, and on grass as nicely, however this was simply too many occasions right this moment.”
Djokovic mentioned his group have been having a dialog with match officers about why his requests to have the courts swept extra incessantly have been being denied.
“Today I injured myself. I survived. I won the match. Great. But will I be able to play next one? I don’t know,” he added.
“I don’t know the severity of the injury. But could have this injury be prevented? Possibly, if there was just a little bit more of frequent care of the court during the set.”
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