"Had to make tough decisions" - Novak Djokovic on crutches as he breaks silence on surgery after French Open injury withdrawal

Novak Djokovic has broken his silence after undergoing surgery in Paris. The Serb suffered a medial meniscus tear during his French Open campaign, and had to forgo his title defense as a result.

On Wednesday, June 5, after Djokovic withdrew from his quarterfinal against Casper Ruud citing a knee injury, there was speculation that he had opted for surgery in the French capital. The Serb has now confirmed the rumor and stated that the procedure was successful.

Taking to social media, Novak Djokovic, who's dodged injuries for the most part of his career, admitted that he had to make “tough decisions” after he aggravated his knee injury in his fourth-round win against Francisco Cerundolo.

"In the past day, I had to make some tough decisions after sustaining a meniscus tear during my last match. I’m still processing it all but I am happy to update you that the surgery went well," he wrote on Instagram.

The World No. 1 was seen on crutches as he posed with his team and wife in the post-surgery picture shared on social media. He thanked the doctors and the fans for their support during the unfortunate circumstances.

"I am so appreciative of the team of doctors who have been by my side, as well as the overwhelming support I have received from my fans," he said.

According to Sportklub, during the arthroscopy, it was established that the injury wasn’t too severe. Thus, the Serb wouldn’t need to go through a long rehabilitation -- three weeks being the minimum time needed for recovery.

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Novak Djokovic: "The desire to compete is what keeps me going"

The Serb slipped on court multiple times during his fourth-round match at the 2024 French Open (Image Source: Getty)

Novak Djokovic also vowed to return to competition soon. With the recovery needing at least three weeks, participating in the Wimbledon Championships (July 1-14) may be a tall order for the 2023 runner-up. He, however, hasn’t confirmed whether he is going to give the grasscourt Slam a miss.

"I’m going to do my best to be healthy and fit to return to the court as soon as possible," he said on Instagram.

The other major event lined up after the Wimbledon Championships is the 2024 Paris Olympics, set to take place at Stade Roland Garros between July 26 and August 11. Novak Djokovic, who has yet to win gold, has declared it a priority this season. He would thus hope to recover in time to represent Serbia on the global stage.

"My love for this sport is strong and the desire to compete at the highest level is what keeps me going. Idemooo," the 37-year-old added.