Novak Djokovic 'Very Worried' About Knee Injury, Will 'Give It a Try' in Olympics SF

Novak Djokovic is concerned about knee issues potentially hampering his performance during his upcoming semifinal matchup in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"I am very worried, to be honest," Djokovic told reporters on Thursday. "I don't know what to say. The pain was very strong for two games after it happened. I don't know if I slipped or what happened."

The 37-year-old defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas to advance, although he experienced issues with his surgically-repaired right knee. However, he expressed his desire to play despite a potential recommendation from his medical team.

"Even if he says it's not okay, I'll probably get on the court and give it a try," Djokovic told the media. "These are very rare chances, to fight for a medal for my country, so I'm going to do everything possible in the next 24 hours to put myself in a position to fight for a medal for Serbia."

While Djokovic defeated Tsitsipas in straight sets, the win was far from easy. The Serbian star came back from a 4-0 deficit in the second set, becoming the oldest player in history to reach the semifinals in Olympic singles competition.

Despite his record 24 Grand Slam titles, Djokovic has never won an Olympic gold medal. In fact, he's never advanced to the final in men's singles. He does own some hardware from the Games, winning bronze at Beijing in 2008. As he potentially faces his last opportunity to win gold, it's easy to see why he's determined to stay on the court.

Djokovic's knee troubles started when he suffered a torn meniscus in the French Open, causing him to withdraw from the quarterfinal round. He was able to return for Wimbledon and advanced to the final before eventually falling to Carlos Alcaraz.

He won't have much time to recover from his knee pain ahead of his next clash with Italy's Lorenzo Musetti for a spot in the final, which is on Friday. In the other semifinal contest, Alcaraz will face off against Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada.

While Djokovic revealed that he'll attempt to play regardless of his medical team's input, his status heading into the match will likely become clearer after he's further evaluated.