Andy Roddick was willing to backtrack on his original prediction of betting against Novak Djokovic to recover and play at this year's Wimbledon.
Djokovic underwent surgery for a torn meniscus after his fourth-round match against Francisco Cerundolo at Roland Garros on June 5th. And he had a short window of precisely 25 days before his first match at Wimbledon.
Roddick made a bold claim when he told viewers on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast that Djokovic should consider shutting down his season and returning in 2025.
The American asserted at the time that the 37-year-old would not be operating at 100% of his physical capabilities when he returned within a month and that his game was built on his robust defensive skillset and full range of motion, which would be hampered by the injury.
Roddick also argued that age was another significant drawback in Djokovic's recovery from injury, stating that surgery in one's late thirties is problematic for athletes.
Even Djokovic's surgeon was not optimistic about his chances of playing at Wimbledon. The 24-time Grand Slam champion only returned to the practice courts ten days before the tournament began and did not commit to play until after completing a few sessions.
But it's fair to say his recovery has been remarkable. He's also benefitted from a kind draw, which included a qualifier and a wild card in his opening two rounds and a walkover in the quarterfinals.
And against all the odds, Djokovic will play in this year's Wimbledon final after a gusty straight-sets win over Lorenzo Musetti in the semifinal. Roddick took to X after the match to admire Djokovic's greatness and resilience.
"Novak is in the Wimbledon final weeks after having a knee operation. I have a guy on my fantasy baseball team who fouled a ball off his leg 6 weeks ago and progressed to playing a game of catch yesterday ……. Great is great. I didn’t see it as a possibility. Bet against the all time greats at your own peril. Props."
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