On Sunday, world No. 2 Novak Djokovic announced that he has been forced to withdraw from the Madrid Open due to an ongoing right arm injury. This is the same injury that hampered Djokovic’s performance in his match against Roger Federer in the Monte Carlo semifinals.

With the French Open less than three weeks away, it is clear that the Serb is proceeding with the utmost caution. Djokovic knows that his chances of winning the French Open for the first time will be drastically reduced if he does not arrive in Paris healthy. Beating the likes of Rafael Nadal, Stanislas Wawrinka, and Roger Federer on clay is a challenging task already. Coming in with an injury would elevate it to a nearly impossible one.

If Djokovic doesn’t feel absolutely secure about the status of his wrist or arm, don’t be surprised if he decides to skip the Masters Series 1000 event next week in Rome. There’s really no point in Djokovic risking his ability to play the French Open for a Masters Series 1000 event. Djokovic has won 18 career Masters Series 1000 titles compared to zero French Open titles. When it’s all said and done, Djokovic will remember any French Open title that he wins a lot more than Masters Series 1000 victories.

Some would argue that Djokovic needs to at least play in Rome in order to get match ready for the French Open. While entering the French Open having not played an actual match for over a month is less than desirable, it is something that he can overcome. Depending on how the French Open draw pans out, Djokovic could easily use the first three rounds of the tournament as a sort of a warm-up in order to get himself match ready for the later rounds of the tournament. Events like Madrid and Rome are typically coined as “warm-up” tournaments. If Djokovic is not able to play in either of these events, he can use the initial stages of the French Open to gain back form.

In the last four years, Djokovic has lost only three sets in the first three rounds of the French Open. Thus, that first week should give him the chance to reestablish his movement, mechanics, and ball recognition without facing a substantial challenge.

The next question that Djokovic needs to ask himself is whether or not he will play the French Open if he is still dealing with wrist or arm complications in three weeks. Since this is the one tournament that Djokovic would like to win more than any other, withdrawing will certainly be the last option considered. He may well decide to play there regardless of the status of his wrist. It’s not farfetched to believe that Djokovic would be willing to gamble on the remainder of his summer or even his season to take a shot at the title in Paris, especially when his main nemesis there, Nadal, has not looked like his typical self this spring.

When Novak Djokovic steps onto a court, he is going to be the favorite in almost any match he plays on any surface. And he’ll end up winning almost any match he plays on any surface even if his movement and all of his shots are below their best. Djokovic is talented enough to take down a vast majority of the competition even when his game is marginalized.

But, as Juan Martin del Potro and Nadal can attest, there is nothing more vital to the success of a tennis player than their health. Any concerns about form and playing capacity must take second place to coping with an injury. With Djokovic’s health diminished for the time being, the last thing he’ll be worrying about is how well he can slide into an open-stance backhand.

Djokovic is forced to make timely decisions in pressure situations during every tennis match he plays. Now he’ll have to do the same thing with his health as he seeks his first French Open title, a title that may require him to take a major risk to win.