Djokovic Overcomes Knee Scare to Win in Olympic Quarterfinals

On Thursday afternoon, Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets: 6-3, 7-6(3). The 37-year-old became the oldest men's singles player to reach the Olympic semifinals.

However, Djokovic's historic quest for his first gold medal might have hit a snag. In June, Djokovic tore the meniscus in his right knee at Roland Garros and had to undergo surgery before playing in Wimbledon.

During the second set of today's match, Djokovic's trainer was seen working on the same surgically-repaired knee. The 24-time Grand Slam champion played gently on the knee for a few sets before finishing strong.

Novak Djokovic is being seen by the physio in his match against Tsitsipas at the Olympics.

He’s having him look at his knee that he just had surgery on.

He looked like he was in pain in that last game.

Hopefully he can recover. ❤️‍🩹 pic.twitter.com/oA33Esm1eA
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 1, 2024

The similarities to his last injury were not lost on Djokovic, who called it "kind of deja vu from what happened a few months ago at Roland Garros, where I injured myself in a match, managed to finish the match victorious, but only to find out the next day that I tore my meniscus."

Djokovic continued, "So I'm hoping that's not the case this time. I don't know. I'm honestly concerned, but I'm going to let the medical team evaluate the knee, do examination. Tomorrow night I think I'm playing a night match at seven, so I have some time to recover and get ready. Hopefully I'll be able to be physically fit for the semis."

Djokovic concluded, "I think even if [the medical staff] says that it's not okay, I'll probably get on the court and give it a try. These are very rare chances to fight for a medal for my country. So I'm going to do everything possible in the next — less than 24 hours to put myself in a position to fight for Serbia."

🗣️ Novak Djokovic says that he is worried about his knee, and that the pain felt very similar to the meniscus tear at Roland Garros 🤕

“I am very worried, honestly, I don’t know what to say. I finished the match, and the intense pain went away. Whether I hit myself or slipped,… pic.twitter.com/A8MCIJoc6T
— Olly 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) August 1, 2024

After today's win, Djokovic improved his record against Tsitsipas to 12-2. He will face Lorenzo Musetti in the Semifinals. Djokovic holds a 6-1 record against Musetti. Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport and beyond.

Further Reading: Carlos Alcaraz becomes the youngest man to reach the Olympic semifinals since Novak Djokovic.