The 37-year-old, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, said that he is far from being in top form and that he is only playing against American Darwin Blanch in the first round of the Madrid Open on Thursday as a personal sacrifice.
Rafa Nadal's withdrawal from the Monte Carlo Masters has cast doubt over the 22-times Grand Slam champion's participation at the French Open, but Novak Djokovic said he is still hoping for a final chapter in their storied rivalry.
"Unfortunately I have to tell you that I am not going to be playing in Monte Carlo. My body simply won't allow me," said the battle-weary Spaniard on social media.
The 36-year-old Djokovic defeated Casper Ruud in straight sets in the French Open final, breaking the tie of 22 majors he shared with longtime rival Rafael Nadal
Swiatek has now lost only two out of 26 Grand Slam matches since moving to world number one in April last year and the 22-year-old became the youngest woman to bag consecutive trophies at Roland Garros since Monica Seles, who won from 1990-92.
Novak Djokovic admits "history is hovering" over him as he takes on Casper Ruud in the French Open final on Sunday with a men's record 23rd Grand Slam title tantalisingly close.
Ruud is through to his third Grand Slam final in his past five tournaments. He was runner-up to Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros in 2022 and then lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open final.
Reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek will attempt to become the first woman to successfully defend the title in Paris in 16 years on Saturday when she faces surprise finalist Karolina Muchova.
Having battled through 59 encounters with Rafael Nadal over 16 years of epic rivalry, Novak Djokovic faces the Spanish legend's heir apparent Carlos Alcaraz at the French Open in a match laced with era-defining potential.
The 36-year-old Serb, champion in Paris in 2016 and 2021, will face 11th seed Karen Khachanov for a place in the semi-finals.
Across 57 matches in 17 Grand Slam appearances in her young career, Swiatek has already won 19 sets to love.But she knows how it feels to be on the wrong end of a bagel, having lost three sets at majors 6-0 herself, although all of those came across her first two Slam appearances in 2019 -- one in a match she won against Monica Puig
Swiatek blitzed 80th-ranked Wang Xinyu of China 6-0, 6-0 on the back of 21 winners as the 22-year-old Pole took another step closer to becoming the first woman since Justine Henin in 2007 to win back-to-back titles at Roland Garros.
"I had fever and a headache and it's difficult to breathe. I tried in the warm-up but I feel it's the right decision to withdraw."
Novak Djokovic admits that his push towards a record-setting 23rd Grand Slam title is at the mercy of a "long list" of injuries at the French Open with "pills and angels" amongst the cures.
The Belarusian second seed is yet to drop a set in the tournament after a comfortable 6-2, 6-2 win against the world number 82.
Eighth-seeded Sinner, whose best performance at Roland Garros came in 2020 when he lost in the quarter-finals against Rafael Nadal, looked set for a no-nonsense win after cruising through the third set but Altmaier had other ideas.
World number four Elena Rybakina racked up her 30th win of the year on Thursday to reach the French Open last 32.
Novak Djokovic defiantly insisted on Wednesday "it's something I stand for" regarding the controversy over his explosive comments about Kosovo earlier this week at the French Open.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz overcame a second set blip to defeat Japan's Taro Daniel and reach the French Open last 32 on Wednesday.