Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the French Open with a knee injury, ensuring that Jannik Sinner will become the new men’s world No.1 and that a new Roland Garros champion will be crowned in Paris.
The world No.1 aggravated a right knee problem during his five-set win over Francisco Cerundolo on Monday, which was reported on Tuesday to be a torn medial meniscus.
Roland Garros organisers said: “Due to a torn medial meniscus in his right knee (discovered during an MRI scan performed today), Novak Djokovic, who was supposed to play Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals tomorrow, has been forced to withdraw from the Roland-Garros tournament.”
The withdrawal means that Australian star Alex de Minaur would play Norwegian seventh seed Casper Ruud in Friday’s semi-finals should he beat Alexander Zverev in his quarter-final on Wednesday.
Ruud, the two-time finalist, gets a bye through to the last-four with Djokovic’s withdrawal.
Australian Open champion Sinner, just 22, will become the first Italian men’s world No.1 when the new rankings are unveiled next week.
Djokovic said his knee problem had been bothering him for a couple of weeks before he arrived at Roland Garros — something he kept to himself until after the win against Cerundolo.
“I don’t know what will happen tomorrow — or after tomorrow, if I’ll be able to step out on the court and play,” the 37-year-old Djokovic said after Monday’s win. “You know, I hope so. Let’s see what happens.”