PARIS, June 5. /TASS/. Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic will need surgery on his knee after injuring it during the French Open, the L'Equipe newspaper reported.
According to it, the athlete will need three weeks to recover, so he will not be able to take part in Wimbledon. L'Equipe notes that Djokovic wants to make sure he is ready for the Olympic Games in Paris, which are to be held from July 26 to August 11.
On June 4, Djokovic withdrew from the quarterfinal match of the French Open against Norwegian Casper Ruud because of an injury to his right knee. Thus, he will cede his title as world number one to Italy’s Jannik Sinner following the tournament in Paris. During this year’s tournament, Djokovic set a record for the number of victories at Grand Slam tournaments (370), surpassing Switzerland's Roger Federer (369).
Djokovic, 37, has won 98 titles on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tour. These include 24 wins at Grand Slam tournaments, a record in men's singles. The athlete is an Olympic bronze medalist (2008) and Davis Cup winner (2010).
Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments, the only one played on natural grass. This year, it will be held on July 1-14. Djokovic is the reigning champion of the tournament in men's singles.