How long could Novak Djokovic be out of action after medial meniscus tear at French Open 2024? All you need to know

Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the French Open 2024 after suffering a knee injury during his fourth-round match against Franciso Cerundolo. The Serb was involved in a five-set thriller for the second time in two days as he scrapped past the Argentine with a 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory.

During the match, Djokovic suffered a knee injury and asked for his trainer in the second set. He was seen hobbling during the second and the third set and was barely moving freely. However, Djokovic found his feet again in the fourth and the fifth set to book a place in the quarterfinals.

During his post-match conference, Novak Djokovic admitted that he was unsure about the injury and could potentially withdraw from the French Open. Later, he had an MRI scan which showed a lesion on his injured right knee which led to his withdrawal from Roland-Garros.

How long will it take Novak Djokovic to recover from his knee injury?

An MRI scan confirmed that Novak Djokovic has suffered a meniscus tear on his injured right knee. Typically, a meniscus tear is completely healed in around 4-6 weeks and Djokovic could be back in action in a month if the recovery goes well.

While recovery from the injury could be completed as quickly as a couple of weeks, Djokovic will have to regain the strength in his knees to compete on the tennis court again.

Recent reports suggest that Novak Djokovic is set to miss the Wimbledon and is doubtful for the Olympics as he is set to undergo surgery on his right knee. It would mean that the Serbian star would be out for around 2-3 months and his comeback would be delayed considerably.

There are no confirmed reports about either of the scenarios and Djokovic is yet to comment about the extent of his injury.

Djokovic's ageing body could be a problem as it has to respond well to the treatment. A sportsman in the latter phases of his career needs more time to heal from an injury, so the Serb will be hopeful of avoiding any setbacks throughout his recovery.

With the grass court season set to begin soon after the French Open, Novak Djokovic faces a race against time to be fit for the Wimbledon championships. The 24-time Grand Slam champion is set to miss a few grass tournaments in preparation for Wimbledon but should be fit enough to compete at the third Grand Slam for the year, which begins on July 1.