 "Novak Djokovic underwent knee surgery on 5 June and is working towards being fit for Wimbledon. AP")
The flurry of activity on the tennis calendar remains unabated and Wimbledon will get underway in a few days. But it might do so in the absence of some of the biggest stars for the grass court major. As Carlos Alcaraz and Marketa Vondrousova prepare to defend their crowns at the All England Club, they might not have find presence of some big names.
Chief among the potential absentees will be Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. The Serb, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, is an injury doubt as is 2013 and 2016 winner Murray.
With eight-time champion Roger Federer retired, two-time winner Rafael Nadal is sitting out the tournament to focus on the Olympics, it leaves one of the ‘Big 3’ in contention. But Djokovic has just undergone knee surgery while Murray has had a back operation.
The result is that the 2024 Wimbledon men’s tournament is likely to be the first in 22 years not to feature at least one of the storied ‘Big Four’.
Djokovic, 37, who lost a thrilling five-set final to Alcaraz last year, said his recovery from surgery is going “surprisingly well” but maintained he will play only if he feels fit enough to go all the way.
“I really will only play (at Wimbledon) if I know I am in a state which is good enough to go far in the tournament and fight for the title, so that’s the condition,” Djokovic told reporters after a training session in London, his right knee still heavily-strapped.
On Tuesday, in Munich after watching Serbia vs Denmark in Euro 2024, he said, “I haven’t decided yet if I’m playing Wimbledon. I’ll decide in the next few days,” he told RTS. “Thank God, the recovery is going surprisingly well. After Wimbledon are the Olympic Games in Paris, which I am especially looking forward to.”
The 24-time major winner picked up the injury at the French Open during his fourth round match. A day later, Djokovic announced he had torn the meniscus and withdrew from the tournament and then had surgery.
Fellow former World No. 1 Andy Murray, also 37, famously defeated Djokovic in the 2013 final, ending a 77-year wait for a British men’s champion at Wimbledon.
Now ranked at 115, Murray underwent a procedure to remove a cyst on his back at the weekend.
Like Djokovic, he is uncertain but a decision has to be made by Friday when the draw takes place.
Great Britain’s Davis Cup captain Leon Smith said: “He (Murray) obviously went through a procedure yesterday (Saturday) and you have to wait and see now. My understanding is no decision has been made and let’s hope for the best for Andy.”
Murray managed just five games before a back injury forced him to withdraw from his second-round match against Australia’s Jordan Thompson at the Queen’s Club warm-up event in London on Wednesday.
Injuries/retirements
Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur retired early from their matches at the Berlin Open. World No. 3 Sabalenka appeared to be struggle with a shoulder injury and retired in the quarter-final against Anna Kalinskaya.
Two-time Wimbledon finalist Jabeur, meanwhile, decided not to continue because of illness after dropping the first set to Coco Gauff.
“I wish Ons the best, I think it’s something that is just going to happen today and she’ll be better tomorrow, so hopefully she’ll be at Wimbledon,” said Gauff.
Defending Wimbledon champion Vondrousova and 2022 winner Elena Rybakina also pulled out from their matches earlier in the tournament.
Vondrousova slipped and injured her right hip in the second round while Rybakina withdrew from her last-eight match against Victoria Azarenka because of illness. On Monday, Azarenka decided to skip Bad Homburg after stating she had an injury.
USA’s Frances Tiafoe, whose best showing at Wimbledon has been to the fourth round in 2022, slipped, fell and was forced to retire in his first round match at Queen’s Club.
The 28-year-old revealed picking up a Grade 1 sprain of his right MCL. He limped off the court after clearly looking to be in pain.