Djokovic Confident for Wimbledon after "Pain-Free" Exhibition Match

Novak Djokovic has declared himself "pain-free" following a successful exhibition match against Daniil Medvedev ahead of Wimbledon next week. The Serbian tennis star underwent surgery three weeks ago for a torn medial meniscus in his right knee, initially casting doubt on his Wimbledon participation.

Despite wearing knee strapping, Djokovic triumphed over world number five Medvedev with scores of 6-3 6-4 on Friday, signaling his readiness for the upcoming Grand Slam event starting on July 1st.

"I can tell you I enjoyed myself really, really much," said Djokovic, 37. "I can tell you that pain-free tennis is the best tennis. I was pain-free and I'm really glad."

Reflecting on the match, Djokovic added, "It was a great test obviously against one of the best players in the world. I've played a couple of practice sets but I really wanted to test myself. The test was very successful so I'm obviously really glad. It's been an intense three weeks after surgery, spending a lot of hours rehabbing."

Acknowledging the support from his medical team, Djokovic praised his surgeon: "I kind of always wanted to give myself a chance to be in London. I think my surgeon is here. He's the MVP for sure the last three weeks. I'm trying to take it day by day and see how far it goes."

A seven-time Wimbledon champion, Djokovic is scheduled to face debutant Vit Kopriva of the Czech Republic in the first round, marking his 19th appearance at the prestigious grass court Grand Slam.

Djokovic has been a finalist in Wimbledon for the past five consecutive years, with his most recent final in 2023 ending in a memorable five-set loss to Carlos Alcaraz.

Medvedev commented on Djokovic's condition, saying, "He seems to be fine. You never know what he feels inside of him. It's a five-set match on grass [at Wimbledon], which is never easy for the knee, so I don't know how it's going to go during the matches. But he seemed to be moving well, even if I got him off guard a little bit."

Djokovic's performance in the exhibition match underscores his determination and preparedness as he gears up for Wimbledon, aiming to add another title to his illustrious career.