French Open: Novak Djokovic assigns Rafael Nadal the role of favorite - "You can't put anyone above him"
Despite his victory at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Rome, Novak Djokovic does not consider himself the big favorite at the French Open, which starts in less than a week. You couldn't put anyone above defending champion Rafael Nadal , said the world number one after his triumph in the Italian capital.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Sep 22, 2020, 02:46 am
No, the audience in front of the television sets and the few people on site during the week of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome were not offered the very highest level. Admittedly, the semi-final game between Diego Schwartzman and Denis Shapovalov was definitely a match for tennis lovers, but otherwise the players were above all able to convince with fighting.
This sentence is probably no more valid for anyone than for Novak Djokovic . The world number one struggled against Filip Krajinovic, Dominik Koepfer, Casper Ruud and Diego Schwartzman, especially at the beginning of the respective encounter, but ultimately won the title from the Italian capital.
Djokovic: "Didn't play my best tennis"
Djokovic himself knew that the level shown in Rome at the French Open starting on September 27th was not enough for the tournament: "I don't want to sound arrogant, but I haven't played my best tennis. I still have a few gears and I'll need them to get a good result at Roland Garros. "
Only the serve made the industry leader completely satisfied, the 33-year-old wants to work on the other aspects of his game before the third Grand Slam tournament of the year. Because Djokovic expects in particular a strong Rafael Nadal, who already said goodbye in Rome in the quarter-finals .
Conditions as an advantage for Djokovic?
"He's the top favorite. You can't put anyone above him, especially given his history there," said Djokovic of the twelve-time French Open champion. The fact that the somewhat slower conditions and the change of the ball brand are more likely to accommodate the Serbian game than that of his Spanish long-term opponent seems to be largely unanimous in the tennis scene.
After the tournament in Rome, Djokovic feels well prepared for the conditions on the Bois de Boulogne: "Heavy sand, no high jump, humid, night sessions - we will have all of that in Paris too." Ultimately, however, the main thing would be to compete in top form in the French capital: "I hope that I can raise my level. This victory here gives me the confidence that a Grand Slam tournament needs."