Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic has assured fans he is ready to compete in the tournament, despite a recent knee injury that forced him to withdraw from the French Open. The 37-year-old underwent surgery for a torn meniscus and arrived in London just a week before the start of Wimbledon.
Djokovic has been pushing his knee to the limit during intensive training sessions. He has engaged in practice sets with top players like Jannik Sinner, Frances Tiafoe, Daniil Medvedev, Emil Ruusuvuori, and Holger Rune. The intensity of these sessions has tested his knee to its maximum, but Djokovic reports positive results.
“The knee has responded very well to all of that so far, which of course then is a great sign for my participation in Wimbledon,” Djokovic stated. “That’s why I decided to be in the draw.”
While he is confident in his current condition, Djokovic acknowledges that a match situation will provide further insight into his knee’s recovery. “Obviously, once the tournament starts, I’ll have more sensations and more feedback from how my knee reacts to a best-of-five Grand Slam match,” he said.
Djokovic’s commitment to Wimbledon is unwavering, stemming from his childhood dream of competing in the prestigious tournament. “I wouldn’t call it a fear of missing out. I would just say it’s this incredible desire to play, just to compete,” he said. “Particularly, because it is Wimbledon, the tournament that always has been a dream tournament for me when I was a kid. Just the thought of missing Wimbledon was just not correct.”
With a positive outlook and unwavering determination, Djokovic is set to kick off his bid for a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title on Tuesday against Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva.
