Fears of Djokovic’s injury emerge following his extraordinary victory at the French Open.

Novak Djokovic, the defending champion, expresses uncertainty about his ability to participate in the French Open quarter-final, attributing a knee injury aggravation to the “slippery” clay of Roland Garros. Despite facing hindrances, Djokovic, 37, exhibits his resilience by triumphing in a five-set battle against Argentine 23rd seed Francisco Cerundolo in the fourth round on Monday, winning 6-1 5-7 3-6 7-5 6-3.

Djokovic’s next opponent is Norwegian seventh seed Casper Ruud, whom he defeated in last year’s final, scheduled for the last eight on Wednesday. Djokovic admits, “At one point I didn’t know if I should continue,” highlighting his uncertainty about his fitness for the upcoming match.

Despite starting the fourth-round match against Cerundolo little over 36 hours after his previous contest against Lorenzo Musetti concluded at 03:07 on Sunday morning, Djokovic displays mental and physical resilience, securing another demanding victory lasting four hours and 39 minutes.

However, Djokovic’s victory is overshadowed by concerns about his health, particularly his knee, which he mentions “screwed up” during the match due to frequent slipping on the clay surface. Despite receiving painkillers and repeated treatment from the physio, Djokovic admits to feeling discomfort in his knee, which escalated during the match.

Nevertheless, Djokovic’s ability to fight back from adversity once again demonstrates his remarkable prowess on the court. Even though he appeared fatigued and troubled by his injury, Djokovic managed to reverse a break down in the fourth set and ultimately secure victory in the deciding set.

Despite his triumph, Djokovic’s uncertain health status casts a shadow over his future performances in the tournament, emphasizing the physical toll and challenges faced by professional tennis players, particularly in grueling matches like this one.