Djokovic hoping to peak in time for French Open title defence

Tennis – ATP Masters 1000 – Italian Open up – Foro Italico, Rome, Italy – Might 15, 2022 Serbia’s Novak Djokovic reacts in the course of the ultimate against Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

Could 20 (Reuters) – Entire world range one Novak Djokovic stated his Italian Open up victory was the perfect time to obtain form as he appears to be like to retain his French Open up crown immediately after combined effects previously in the claycourt swing.

The 20-instances Grand Slam winner was toppled by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina early in Monte Carlo and Andrey Rublev in the Belgrade final in April, before he fell to teenager Carlos Alcaraz in the Madrid semi-finals this month.

Not able to defend his Australian Open up title because of to his refusal to be vaccinated from COVID-19, Djokovic clinched his very first title in much more than 6 months when he received in Rome very last week with out dropping a set.

“This surface area is the most demanding just one… it demands a ton of work mentally, emotionally, physically,” Djokovic advised reporters on Friday. “For me, traditionally it has demanded some time and several tournaments to definitely experience cozy participating in on clay.

“Seldom did I feel my ideal on clay in the first or 2nd event in the period. That was the scenario this time once again. It took me two tournaments to actually truly feel that I am acquiring nearer to the wished-for stage.

“Rome has been a really prosperous match for me in my career, and it was seriously coming at the right time. I often managed to get to the later on phases of that match in just the week prior to Paris, great time to actually find variety.”

Hoping to set his turbulent start out to the year powering him, Djokovic mentioned 13-moments Roland Garros champion Rafa Nadal and the in-variety Alcaraz were between the favourites to get at Roland Garros but additional he was confident of replicating his achievements from past 12 months.

Djokovic, who will be 35 on Sunday when he commences his title defence versus Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka, would pull level with Nadal’s haul of 21 Grand Slam titles if he wins in Paris.

“Nadal often has to be right at the top rated, simply because of his documents specially at this tournament,” Djokovic reported. “And then you have Alcaraz who is the story of men’s tennis in the final 4 or 5 months… He has produced a quantum jump ahead.

“I experience that I am generally in competition to battle for any Grand Slam trophy. I believe in my have abilities. I think in my have qualities to get far and to combat for 1 of the most prestigious trophies in the world of tennis.

“As a defending champion of training course far more so, (I) believe that I can do it once again. Reliving the recollections from previous 12 months is one thing that of course presents me goosebumps and enthusiasm to check out to replicate that.”

Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Bengaluru
Editing by Toby Davis

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