Djokovic to play at Paris Olympics, says Serbia

FILE–Serbia’s Novak Djokovic during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics men’s singles tennis match. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP)

Former tennis world number one, Novak Djokovic will play at the Paris Olympics, the Olympic Committee of Serbia said on Tuesday.

“Novak Djokovic and Dusan Lajovic have fulfilled the conditions according to ATP ranking and confirmed their participation at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris 2024”, the Serbian committee said on their website.

Djokovic has not yet publicly confirmed the announcement.

READ: Djokovic looking forward to Paris Olympics in hectic 2024

At the start of June, the 24-time Grand Slam winner withdrew ahead of his Roland Garros quarter-final against Casper Ruud after a scan revealed a torn medial meniscus in his right knee.

Two weeks ago, Djokovic confirmed he had undergone an operation on his knee and that it “went well”, but gave no timeframe for his return.

Djokovic has long said he will prioritize the Olympic Games this summer as he chases an elusive singles gold.

In October last year, he said winning Olympic gold next year is one of his main ambitions, while before the clay tournaments this year he reiterated his goal.

READ: No medal for Novak Djokovic for third straight Olympics

“The Paris Olympics are very important. The Olympics have always been a priority for me,” Djokovic said in April ahead of the clay swing in Monte Carlo.

He has played four Olympic tournaments and won a bronze medal in Beijing in 2008. He has since twice come close to another medal

He lost the bronze-medal match to Juan Martin del Potro in London in 2012. He lost again to the Argentine four years later in the first round in Rio.

At the last Games in Tokyo, Djokovic lost the bronze-medal match to Pablo Carreno Busta from Spain.

At the same tournament, he pulled out of the mixed doubles bronze medal match with a shoulder injury.

After his early exit at the Rolland Garros, Djokovic has slipped to third in the ATP rankings.