Following days of speculation about his fitness, Novak Djokovic will compete in his fifth Olympics.
The 2024 Paris Olympics will commence next month, with the men's tennis singles tournament scheduled to run from July 27th to August 4th. A total of 64 players will compete to win gold, silver, and bronze medals.
The Olympic Committee of Serbia has confirmed Djokovic's presence in Paris in late July, ending an anxious wait for his fans. The 37-year-old underwent knee surgery after withdrawing from the 2024 Roland Garros before his quarterfinal.
Djokovic had been carrying a knee injury during the clay-court swing but kept that information private. It was only after he exacerbated the damage during his five-set win over Francisco Cerundolo in the fourth round of the French Open that he revealed the nature of the injury.
"#TeamSerbia for #Paris2024 got new representatives and now has 96 members. Tennis players Novak Đoković and Dušan Lajović fulfilled the requirements according to the ATP ranking and confirmed their appearance at the Olympic Games."
It is unlikely that he will play an official tennis tournament before the Olympics. His surgeon believes he won't make it to Wimbledon, which starts on July 1st. This means he won't add to his 24 Grand Slams. He will also miss the chance to tie Roger Federer's record of eight titles at the All-England Club for at least 12 months.
An Olympic gold medal is the one big accolade missing from Djokovic's impressive resume, and at 37, this is his best shot at winning it. Some analysts believe his quick decision to undergo surgery suggests he is desperate to compete in Paris next month.
Djokovic won a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Three years ago, he lost in Tokyo, competing for the same prize against Pablo Carreno Busta. The World No. 3 is one of two Serbian men who have qualified for this year's showpiece event. The other is Dusan Lajovic.
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