Top journalist ‘doubts’ Novak Djokovic’s knee injury during Olympics QF against Stefanos Tsitsipas was nothing but ‘acting’
Top journalist ‘doubts’ Novak Djokovic’s knee injury during Olympics QF against Stefanos Tsitsipas was nothing but ‘acting’
Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Gouri Das | Last updated 8/2/24
Was the knee niggle Novak Djokovic suffered during his quarterfinal match in Paris against Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas nothing but acting from the Serb? This was what journalist Benoit Maylin claimed and criticized the Serb for it.
Djokovic secured a 6-3, 7-6(7-3) win over Tsitsipas and became the oldest singles player to reach the semifinals of the Olympics. He won the first match easily but Tsitsipas tried to shift the momentum by winning back-to-back games in the second set.
Djokovic winced in pain during that set and even called his physio twice. It was the same right leg he injured during the fourth round of the French Open which forced him to bow out of the quarterfinals. Without wasting any time, he underwent surgery and made the decision to feature in Wimbledon at the last moment. In spite of all this, Maylin feels the 37-year-old was faking the injury at the Olympics.
Doubts that he’s just acting? Yes! Tsitsipas is 4-0 down in the second set. As luck would have it… Tsitsipas is wondering: ‘What’s going on?’ And then he doesn’t put a ball in the court. It drives me crazy. Djokovic is in the semifinals for the fourth time in the Olympics. He’s never won one. He’s going to play Musetti, he’s the big favorite. Musetti is on fire. And all of a sudden, his knee hurts. Benoit Maylin said on the Winamax show “Sans Filet” (via We Love Tennis)
After improving his head-to-head record over Tsitsipas (12-2), Djokovic is set to play Lorenzo Musetti in the semifinals and leads 6-1 in their head-to-head meetings. The match will also be their fourth encounter this season, having met at the Monte-Carlo Masters, French Open, and Wimbledon.
Novak Djokovic concerned about his right knee before the semifinals
Novak Djokovic admitted that he felt a sense of deja vu when he suffered the injury scare at Court Philippe-Chatrier during the second set against Stefanos Tsitsipas. The 24-time Grand Slam champion, though he withdrew from the French Open quarterfinals, claimed that he will try everything to make another appearance at an Olympic semifinal so that he can take home a medal.
I’m honestly concerned, but I’m going to let the medical team evaluate the knee and do an examination. Novak Djokovic said after the match
Musetti, in the quarterfinals, knocked out Tokyo Games’ singles gold medalist Alexander Zverev in straight sets 7-5, 7-5 to set up the clash with Djokovic. The 22-year-old’s best performance at a Grand Slam event came this season when he reached the Wimbledon semifinal, which he lost to the Serb.
This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.
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