Wimbledon 2024: Novak Djokovic Puts Unfit Rumors to Bed as He Follows Rafael Nadal’s Style to the Inevitable Tennis Question

It is time for Novak Djokovic fans to come together in joy. Everyone in the tennis world waited on bated breath for a positive update from the Serb after he was treated for a meniscus tear. While the updates of his landing in Wimbledon gave half the excitement, many still waited for a confirmation from the player. It was a recent interview that confirmed his status, along with a word on retirement.

As eagerness grew with the dates for the grass slam coming closer, the Serb gave a reason for everyone to stop worrying and prepare to witness the action. “So if we see you line up in the singles, you think that you can win?” Djokovic was asked at Wimbledon. A big smile was the initial response, followed by, “Of course, of course! I mean, that’s why I’m here. I’ve come to play a match,” the Serb replied, showing his mental as well as physical readiness as he aims for an eighth Wimbledon title.

Aside from injury woes, the Djoker also shared his thoughts on retirement. “I still don’t plan to retire and, you know, have my last Wimbledon this year, so I wanna keep going,” the forever young tennis pro affirmed, making it clear that he’s nowhere close to calling it off.

His response is reminiscent of Rafael Nadal when the Spanish bull revealed his uncertainty about retiring. “I feel like I’m finding the pleasure of playing again, having fun. I want to give myself a chance to see if my physique remains at this level,” the Spaniard told L’Equipe. He further established he would not confirm anything until his run in the Olympics, held in his favorite stadium this year, the Stade Roland-Garros.

Rafa will sadly not be present at Wimbledon this year, but it is set to mark a golden opportunity for the Serb. Although his rivalry with Roger Federer might have gone dormant because of his retirement, this year offers him a chance to even his Wimbledon score.

Djokovic, who currently has 7 Wimbledon titles in his bucket, is actively envisioning the eighth. A title run in the SW19 will also prove his endurance levels amid the recent injury scare, as his prime focus was recovery since his French Open withdrawal.

Novak Djokovic narrates a terrifying story of stepping over the knee injury

Meniscus tears are scarily common amongst tennis players, and any injury requires a considerable recovery time. Some players, like Taylor Fritz, have recovered quick with proper precautions, but the Serb had to spend more time in rehab to be ready to stand among the competition. In the same interview where he confirmed his entry, the Serb also shared how hard it was for him to navigate through this injury.

“This year has been different from all the other years, and of course, this injury at Roland Garros in Paris, you know, happened in a very awkward moment, very unfortunate moment, but you know its a part of the sport,” the Serb said. Talking about the long hours he inserted in just making himself fine and running once again, he added, “One thing is for sure that I did invest a lot of hours and a lot of time in these two and a half weeks in my rehab.”

It has been more than two weeks since the Serb had to withdraw due to the pain of injury. While the procedure gave him a tough time, his chance to compensate for the losses will be seen when he steps into round 1 of the grass slam. Can he set a new record for slams in the tournament?