Novak Djokovic’s quest for a third consecutive French Open title has come to an abrupt end. The defending champion was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a right knee injury sustained during his hard-fought fourth-round victory over Francisco Cerundolo.
Djokovic underwent an MRI scan which revealed a torn medial meniscus, according to Roland Garros officials. This withdrawal paves the way for Jannik Sinner to become the 29th player, and the first Italian ever, to hold the No. 1 ranking in the ATP rankings.
Djokovic had battled through two consecutive five-set matches before succumbing to the knee injury. Despite concerns voiced after his previous match, Djokovic initially expressed hope that he could continue. However, the severity of the injury ultimately forced him to make the difficult decision to withdraw.
This development opens up the Roland Garros draw, with Casper Ruud advancing to his third consecutive semifinal. Ruud now awaits the winner of the quarterfinal clash between Alexander Zverev and Alex de Minaur.
