The unstoppable world No. 1 found a way to persevere just as it appeared that Novak Djokovic’s French Open might be in jeopardy. Djokovic overcame a worrying knee issue and a two-set deficit to pull off an epic comeback victory over Francisco Cerundolo on Monday in the fourth round.
However, his championship pursuit is now shrouded in doubt as he faces a race against time to get healthy for the quarterfinals.
Knee Issue Emerges
The first signs of trouble came in the second set when Djokovic began feeling discomfort in his right knee. He took a medical timeout and laid down as a trainer massaged and manipulated the ailing joint. Djokovic continued wincing and adjusting the knee over the next couple of hours.
“It was a magic night to get through that,” said Djokovic, whose right leg was heavily taped by the end. “I don’t know how I survived without bigger damage done.”
Down and Nearly Out
Trailing the 23rd-seeded Argentine Cerundolo by two sets to one and facing a 4-2 deficit in the fourth, Djokovic appeared on the brink of a shocking defeat. But the 22-time Grand Slam champion simply would not go away.
Playing through obvious knee pain, Djokovic became increasingly aggressive. He stepped into the court, took bigger swings and started blasting deeper groundstrokes.
The pro-Djokovic crowd on Philippe Chatrier sensed the momentum shift and erupted as he earned a break for 4-4 in the fourth set. “The only explanation for how I found a way to win again is you guys,” Djokovic told the fans. “Thank you!”
Djokovic trailed 4-3 in the deciding set but roared back, even doing the splits for an incredible defensive scramble along the way. He finally put away the gritty Cerundolo 6-3, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 after 4 hours, 28 minutes of tension-filled action.
Milestone Win, Uncertain Future
The dramatic victory was the 370th Grand Slam match win of Djokovic’s career, breaking a tie with Roger Federer for the all-time men’s record. The 37-year-old Serbian also became just the fifth man to reach 59 career Grand Slam quarterfinals.
However, the knee issue is currently casting a shadow over Djokovic’s immediate future. He said he had been feeling it for a couple weeks but it worsened early in Monday’s match. He took “maximum dosages” of anti-inflammatories and painkillers, which helped get him through the fifth set virtually pain-free.
The big question is whether Djokovic will be able to recover in time for Wednesday’s quarterfinal showdown against No. 4 seed Casper Ruud, last year’s runner-up.
“I don’t know until tomorrow if I can step out and play,” Djokovic admitted. “I hope so. I’m going to have more scans and see how things go.” If healthy enough, Djokovic would be a heavy favorite against Ruud after beating him in straight sets in last year’s French Open final to capture his 21st major title.
Other Quarter Matchups
On the other half of the draw, No. 6 Holger Rune surprisingly took out No. 4 Casper Ruud in a marathon 4-hour, 40-minute battle that ended at 1:40 a.m. Tuesday. Rune will face either No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz or No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarters.
The other quarterfinal pits No. 22 Alexander Zverev against No. 11 Alex de Minaur, who became the first Australian man to reach the French Open quarterfinals since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004 by defeating Daniil Medvedev in four sets.
But all eyes will be on Djokovic to see if the player who has made resiliency his trademark can once again find a way to overcome the latest adversity in his pursuit of an elusive 23rd Grand Slam crown.
