Will Novak Djokovic be able to resurrect at the Roland Garros? This is the question that the media, insiders and fans are asking themselves, one week before the start of the Parisian Slam. The Serbian champion comes from five very difficult months without titles, which also led to the end of his professional relationship with his coach Goran Ivanisevic.
In one of the latest episodes of his podcast Served with Andy Roddick, the former US legend analyzed the Serbian’s difficulties, expressing his doubts about Nole’s chances in Paris.
“Initially any of us would be shocked to see Djokovic struggling in the early rounds at Roland Garros. The reality of the facts is that, especially in the event of a difficult draw, Nole could find difficulties right away and we all know this. In the last 15 years there have never been such strong questions about Djokovic as this season. Now you would all be ready to criticize me and say that he is better than me, but this is the truth. If he still has to win a tournament you can’t see him as favorite at Roland Garros, and if you don’t agree on this it’s simply denial. I thought that at some point in the season he would accelerate but things didn’t go that way,” said Roddick.
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Djokovic is still number one in the world, but his 2024 has been quite difficult. The Serbian champion is still without titles this season and he also showed a truly disappointing performance in Rome. Nole will arrive at the French Open with few matches on clay. This is also why the Serbian tennis player decided to ask for a wild-card for the ATP tournament in Geneva. Data in hand, Djokovic is 12-5 this season and has a record of 5 wins and 2 losses on clay.
But, as I explained in some considerations that I expressed yesterday in one of my editorials here on Tennis World USA (see here), I believe that the Roland Garros is the best opportunity for Djokovic to be able to make a decisive turning point in his career so far. disappointing season. The Serbian had the right intuition to ask for a wild-card for the ATP 250 in Geneva.
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Considering that he has played few tournaments on clay courts, playing the tournament in Switzerland could help him regain confidence in view of Paris. Precisely considering the Roland Garros, as I said yesterday, the surface and duration of the tournament will be a favorable factor for him. Without considering the poor physical conditions of his rivals Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Rafael Nadal. Stefanos Tsitsipas could be his most insidious rival in Paris but, as also seen in Rome, the Greek still lacks continuity, even on his favorite surface.
After all these considerations, I believe that the choice to play in Geneva is the right one and, at least in theory, Nole can once again be considered the favorite at the Roland Garros. The Serbian champion chose to return to the court prematurely, probably not convinced of the preparation carried out in recent weeks on clay to compete better in the French Slam. For this reason, Nole accepted the wild card offered to him by the ATP 250 in Geneva: the organizers moved as soon as the first rumors circulated that the Belgrade native wanted to participate in an event the week before the Parisian Major , letting his entourage know that they are willing to grant one of the available invitations if necessary.
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Wow, Novak Djokovic has accepted a wildcard into the Geneva ATP 250, which is next week! 😮🇨🇠pic.twitter.com/dwCDCbfp3S
— Olly 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) May 17, 2024
A few days ago the Serbian talked about his relationship with the crowds on Nick Kyrgios’ Good Trouble podcast.
“I don’t know, it really depends on the situation. People think I take advantage of that energy, when someone doesn’t like me or I face adversity on and off the court. Sometimes I do it because it’s the only thing on my mind and I need to find a solution. I have to find a way to win a tennis match and be who I am while staying true to myself. I know not everyone will like me. I know people obviously have their favorite players or maybe they want the underdog to win. Things like that happen. I’ve been on Tour for so long and I’ve experienced some great atmospheres in my favor and great atmospheres against me. But I think ultimately you really have to understand the moment, because you’re not going to feel the same way every single day,” he told.