Djokovic: "Something of me has gone with Nadal"
His hesitant step in the previous tournaments of the clay season has not dislodged Novak Djokovic from the list of favorites to win Roland Garros, even more so in the absence of Rafael Nadal, the 14-time champion. «I have always said that he is my biggest rival. When he announced that next year will be the last of his career, I felt that something of me was leaving with him,” the Serb commented yesterday at a press conference.
Eliminated in the round of 16 in Monte Carlo (Lorenzo Musetti) and quarterfinalist in Rome (Holger Rune) and Banja Luka (Dusan Lajovic), Nole appears at Roland Garros with his worst record on clay in 17 years.
«Nadal has always been one of my main sources of motivation. The fact that he is going to retire next year makes me think about my career and about how much more I am going to play”, continued the winner of the tournament in 2016 and 2021, defeated in three finals by Nadal. «To be honest, I don't like to see him in the box, because I haven't had much success against him face to face at Roland Garros. I managed to defeat him twice, but I had to leave my heart and guts on the track, “he recalled, in relation to his victories in the 2015 quarterfinals and in the 2021 semifinals.
tie in the heights
After 18 consecutive years living in the draw with Nadal, Djokovic finds himself before the opportunity to undo the equalizer at 22 greats, but the problems in the elbow, for which he decided not to play the Masters in Madrid, his short run this year in the surface and, above all, the great moment of Carlos Alcaraz, number 1 in the world and his hypothetical rival in the semifinals, jeopardize his chances of victory in the Grand Slam tournament where he feels most uncomfortable. «Alcaraz is the favorite because he won the US Open, he is number one and he comes from winning two titles on clay. Another thing is experience, which plays in my favor. Nor should we forget Tsitsipas, Sinner, Rune or Ruud. I think the tournament is quite open. There are a few players who are on the list to take the win and any of them have options. I hope to take advantage of mine, “he said.
The ten-time Australian Open winner, who turned 36 years old last 22nd, will debut tomorrow against Aleksandar Kovacevic, 114th, a tennis player of Serbian origin with U.S. nationality whom he knows for having trained together on occasion. He did not want to speculate on hypothetical opponents later on, out of respect for his first opponent.