Roddick worried about Djokovic: “I have a fear”

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The American legend said he was worried about the surgery suffered by the Serbian champion

Everyone hopes that Novak Djokovic will come back even stronger than before, after the knee surgery he suffered following a physical problem that occurred during the match against Francisco Cerundolo at the Roland Garros. The American tennis legend Andy Roddick, during his podcast, gave an opinion on the period that Novak is experiencing, saying he is worried for the Serbian champion.

Having had a similar meniscus problem as the Serbian at a young age, Andy gave the 37-year-old from Belgrade some advice:

“Obviously it was a younger body and I played like that for four or five months. It happened again a few months ago and I rested, but the difference is that I don’t have to play Wimbledon in a month. This operation, at least according to all the guys I’ve seen, including myself, excludes the Olympics and puts the London Open at serious risk,” told Roddick.

A knee problem that affects his mobility, which helps him a lot in the defensive phase of the court.

“Is his special characteristic being able to destroy people, to stay in matches, to move opponents from one side to the other? Novak needs his legs, his defensive skills. He is probably the best defensive player in the history of tennis and, in defense, you rely on your legs. Betting against the big boys is up to you, but when you’re 37 and starting to have knee surgery, it’s a problem. A knee meniscus tear isn’t a big deal at 24, 25, 26, but it happened at the worst time, because it’s the shortest period between Slams. I would say that grass is the best surface for him at the moment and the worst for the opponents he faces. If he retired in two weeks, it would be a terrible blow. This would also put the US Open at risk and he could end this season and make one last attempt next year. He is expected to recover his health by 2025,” added Roddick.

Djokovic underwent surgery on Wednesday to definitively resolve the meniscus problem suffered during Roland Garros. The Serbian champion, who withdrew from the quarter-finals of the Parisian Slam, decided not to wait and proceed immediately so that he could recover as quickly as possible. The 24-time Slam champion will be out of action for about three or four weeks and will almost certainly miss the next Wimbledon tournament: no to London but yes to the Olympics, a great goal of the season and the only trophy missing from his glorious collection.

“In recent days I have had to make some very important decisions after tearing my meniscus during my last match. I am still processing what happened but I am happy to tell you that the operation went well. I am truly grateful to the team of doctors who was by my side.”

Djokovic had decided to undergo an operation on the meniscus of his right knee to try to recover in the shortest possible time from the injury which worsened during the match valid for access to the quarter-finals of Roland Garros against Cerundolo, as I told you in the first part of the article. Despite the pain, the Serbian won that match anyway, throwing his heart over the obstacle and winning the fifth set. Subsequent instrumental tests, however, reported a serious injury to the meniscus which should keep Nole away from the pitch for at least a month. The injury has complicated his plans, but the Serbian will do everything he can to get his chances at the Olympics. There should be three weeks between surgery and the first attempt to return to work. Timings that make his participation in Wimbledon almost impossible.

In an interview with L’Équipe, Antoine Gerometta, the doctor who operated on Djokovic, was very clear.

“Wimbledon? For me it is unlikely that he will be able to get back to 100% condition in three weeks,” he told.

 

 

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