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Novak Djokovic’s French Open Withdrawal Leaves Season in Doubt

The 37-year-old’s exit from Roland Garros means Jannik Sinner ascends to No. 1 in the ATP rankings.

Jon Wertheim

Djokovic withdrew from the 2024 French Open due to a torn medial meniscus in his right knee.
Djokovic withdrew from the 2024 French Open due to a torn medial meniscus in his right knee. / Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

The shock result of Tuesday at Roland Garros didn’t involve the tennis ball being struck. Less than 24 hours after his miraculous five-set win in the fourth round against Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo, Novak Djokovic announced that he was withdrawing from this year’s French Open. 

He spent the morning getting an MRI and the result was a torn medial meniscus in his right knee. This will mean the defending French Open champion will not defend his title, and more importantly at age 37, it shrouds the rest of his career in question, if not doubt. Norway’s Casper Ruud—who lost to Djokovic in the 2023 Roland Garros final—advanced to the semifinals via walkover.

Ironically, the news came as the successor to the No. 1 ranking, Jannik Sinner, was on court. The 22-year-old Australian Open winner was positioned well at No. 2, and with Djokovic’s withdrawal, became the latest No. 1 player in the ATP rankings. Although this isn't necessarily the way he wanted to inherit the top ranking, it’s a 52-week accumulation of points, so rest assured it’s well deserved.

Some air went out of the tournament with Djokovic's announcement today. The injury makes it unlikely for him to play at Wimbledon, where he is the seven-time champion. One wonders if he will be able to come back to this venue and play in the 2024 Olympics in August, which has been his long-asserted goal. And it makes you wonder, even for a player known for his persistence and determination, about the motivation to try to come back.

They will crown a new men’s French Open champion Sunday. Alas, today we can already crown Father Time as a pivotal winner of this event.

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Jon Wertheim

JON WERTHEIM

Jon Wertheim covers a variety of sports investigations and social issues that intersect with sports for Sports Illustrated. A full-time member of the SI writing staff since 1997, Jon has been a senior enterprise writer at the magazine for decades. In addition to his work at SI, he is a correspondent for "60 Minutes" and a commentator for The Tennis Channel. He has authored 11 books and has been honored with two Emmys, numerous writing and investigative journalism awards, and the Eugene Scott Award from the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Wertheim is a longtime member of the New York Bar Association (retired), the International Tennis Writers Association, and the Writers Guild of America. He resides in New York City with his wife, who is a divorce mediator and adjunct law professor.

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