Novak Djokovic withdrew from the 2024 Roland Garros due to a knee injury, which surprised Carlos Alcaraz.
The match between the Serbian legend and Francisco Cerundolo ended in a tragic for the 24-time major winner. Djokovic was struggling with his knee and limping for most of the match
However, he was also able to play amazing tennis to win the match and fin himself in the quarter-finals. That's the takeaway Alcaraz had from the match.
He simply saw a rival who was playing great tennis, and that's why Djokovic's withdrawal was so surprising to him. He expected the Serbian to continue at the event, and he talked about it after advancing to the semi-finals of the tournament.
"Well, I was surprised that he withdraw from the tournament after watch the match yesterday. He finished the match playing great tennis and he didn't show pain at the end of the match. It was surprise at all for me. Well, surprise for me that he withdraw from the tournament."
We obviously know that everything was not fine with Djokovic. The Serbian had a meniscus tear, which is not a minor injury. It will require a few weeks to heal, so his Wimbledon participation is in doubt, as it's coming up shortly.
Everybody hopes that his injury will heal quickly, but not having Djokovic in the event is certainly a significant blow for everyone involved. The fans won't get to see one of the best players in the world competing, but they might see him when he returns for the Olympics.
"He talked with his team, with the doctor, and tennis is like that. Sometimes you have to deal with it. But I think not having Djokovic in the tournament, it's I'm going to say distressing for the fans not having one of the best players in the world in the tournament."