June 29, (THEWILL) – Novak Djokovic, the seven-time Wimbledon champion, has announced he is “pain-free” following his victory over Daniil Medvedev in an exhibition match on Friday.
The 37-year-old Serbian tennis star underwent surgery earlier this month due to a serious knee injury sustained at the French Open. Despite concerns about his fitness, Djokovic has been included in the Wimbledon draw, which begins on Monday.
Seeded second, he will face 123rd-ranked Vit Kopriv of the Czech Republic in the opening round of the grass-court Grand Slam. While his movement during the exhibition match at London’s Hurlingham Club was not entirely fluid, with his right knee strapped, Djokovic demonstrated crisp ball striking and effective serving.
In a post-match comment, the satisfied 24-time Grand Slam singles champion stated: “I can tell you that pain-free tennis is the best tennis. I was pain-free and I’m really glad. It was a great test, obviously against one of the best players in the world.” Djokovic acknowledged the intense three-week rehabilitation period following his surgery and praised his surgeon as the “MVP” of his recovery.
Djokovic’s injury forced him to withdraw from his French Open quarter-final against Casper Ruud. In preparation for Wimbledon, he sought advice from fellow athletes who have experienced similar setbacks, including American tennis player, Taylor Fritz and other sports stars like Stan Wawrinka, skier Lindsey Vonn, and footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
As Djokovic aims to defend his Wimbledon title, his recent performance and positive outlook suggest he may be ready to compete at the highest level. However, the true test of his fitness and form will come when the tournament begins in earnest next week.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
