Novak Djokovic hopes to be at 100 percent when the French Open commences.
Djokovic recently suffered a shock 6-4, 7-6 defeat to Dusan Lajovic in the Banja Luka Challenger quarterfinals earlier this week.
Leading up to the event, the 22-time Grand Slam winner spoke of a niggling elbow problem that may have contributed to his early exit at the Monte Carlo Masters.
And while he didn't give a specific reason — though it's widely speculated to be his elbow — Djokovic would go on to withdraw from the upcoming Madrid Open which takes place April 26 to May 7.
🇷🇸 @DjokerNole is unable to compete at the #MMOPEN
Wishing you a speedy recovery, we hope to see you back on court as soon as possible, Nole 😘 pic.twitter.com/M44rUvnrH1
— #MMOPEN (@MutuaMadridOpen) April 22, 2023
All in all, it's not been the ideal start to the clay season that Djokovic was expecting.
But with that said, he remains upbeat and with his main goal still being a potential third French Open title, the Serbian superstar believes there is no major cause for concern — especially as he usually tends to peak during the latter half of the clay season.
“I hope to get into tip-top shape for Roland Garros. I want to play my best tennis there,” Djokovic said (via Tennis 365). “The conditions are totally different there in comparison with Monte Carlo and Banja Luka.
“There are still several weeks to practice and play. In the previous seasons, I’ve always had an unsatisfying and slow start on clay, and then played better tennis in the final stages. I hope to repeat the same pattern this year.”
Like Djokovic, Rafael Nadal is also having injury problems and has missed the entire clay season so far. If things continue this way, the signs certainly look promising for Carlos Alcaraz.
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