Novak Djokovic triumphed over Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6(3) on Thursday to reach the Paris Olympics semi-finals. However, the 37-year-old Serbian is uncertain about his fitness as he continues his pursuit of an elusive gold medal.
Djokovic, the top seed, trailed 2-5 in a dramatic second set. He saved three set points and twice called the physio for his right knee, the same knee he injured in June on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Djokovic withdrew from Roland Garros after a five-set fourth-round win against Francisco Cerundolo and underwent right knee surgery.
The 98-time tour-level titlist fears he may have aggravated the same knee during the Olympic quarter-finals.
“I dug deep and found a way,” Djokovic told an ATP reporter.
“Really glad that I managed to win the match. I had a scare early in the second set with the knee, kind of a déjà vu from what happened a few months ago at Roland Garros, where I injured myself in a match, managed to finish the match victorious, but only to find out the next day that I tore my meniscus.
“So I’m hoping that’s not the case this time. I don’t know. I’m honestly concerned, but I’m going to let the medical team evaluate the knee and do an examination. Tomorrow night I think I’m playing a night match at seven, so I have some time to recover and get ready. Hopefully, I’ll be able to be physically fit for the semis.”
Djokovic, who leads Tsitsipas 12-2 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series, will be evaluated before his semi-final clash against 11th seed Lorenzo Musetti.
Musetti upset defending Olympic gold medalist Alexander Zverev 7-5, 7-5 in the quarter-finals. Djokovic has won six of his seven meetings against Musetti, including three matches this season. The Belgrade native defeated Musetti in the Wimbledon semi-finals.
