A couple of days ago, this photograph was practically impossible for many. Although it seemed that the chances of seeing him in Wimbledon 2024 were null after undergoing knee surgery, Novak Djokovic He wanted to give himself a chance. The discomfort is now behind him. The Serbian spoke at a press conference about his physical condition, whether he still doesn’t feel pain in that area and how he sees himself for the London Grand Slam.
Your knee problem
“When that happened in the fourth round of Roland Garros, I made a very quick decision to do the surgery, I had a lot of doubts about whether I would make it to Wimbledon. Then, after extensive conversations with certain athletes who have gone through very similar situations, for example, Taylor Fritz, he told me that 21 days later, he played his first round at Wimbledon. Wawrinka, Lindsey Vonn… They all shared their experiences. That gave me faith and optimism that, if the rehabilitation is done well and correctly, and if the knee responds, there would be a good chance of playing at Wimbledon,” explains the Serbian.
“I arrived here on Sunday. It’s been a week of training, a very good one. I had very intense sessions, training with Sinner, Tiafoe, Medvedev or Ruusuvuori, today also with Rune. My knee has responded very well to all that so far, which is a good sign for my participation in Wimbledon, that’s why I have decided to stay in the main draw draw. I still have a couple of days, I play on Tuesday. I trust in the health of my knee, my general physical condition is very good.”
Why did you want to speed up your return?
“It’s a good question, my wife asked me too. I’m 37 years old, maybe you want to take less risks and prepare for the Olympic Games. I have the feeling of not missing a Grand Slam as long as I can play, as long as I’m active and at this level. I wouldn’t call it a fear of missing out, just an incredible desire to play, to compete. Especially because it’s Wimbledon, the tournament that has always been a dream for me. The simple idea of missing Wimbledon was not right, I didn’t want to deal with it. I’m going through this knee injury for the first time in my life. I wanted to see how quickly I could recover and be in a position to compete in best of five on grass against the best in the world. I haven’t come here to play a few rounds. “I want to go for the title. The last three days have made me optimistic that I can really compete at the highest level,” explains Djokovic.
“It may not be ideal for doctors and specialists, who advise you to rest for 3 to 6 weeks, the more the better to avoid risks, but it is an individual thing. It is very subjective. Everyone has a different response to recovery, rehabilitation, exercises… I have not had any relapses. My intensity is very high now. The knee is fine, there has been no negative reaction.”
2024-06-29 16:45:00
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