Novak Djokovic He will not be in Indian Wells and most likely not in Miami either, the covid regulations in the United States do not allow it, so his mind is already set on the clay court tour and specifically at Roland Garros, the fiefdom of his eternal rival , Rafael Nadal. He has confessed so Goran Ivaniseviccoach of the Serbian, who has once again challenged the Spanish tennis player for the Grand Slam on land.
“Our main target is Roland Garros. Nadal is the favorite on clay, but if Novak is mentally prepared, can beat anyone“, pointed out the Croatian tennis player and coach, yes, more cautious than other years when sending a notice to Rafa.
Ivanisevic already knows that he cannot play with fire in his statements. He learned his lesson in the 2022 edition of the brick dust Grand Slam, when he ‘warmed up’ the preview of the final by pointing out that Nadal had no chance against Djokovic before the Spaniard swept Belgrade in three sets.
“Last year (Djokovic) was sick in bed 10 days before the tour and he was improving, but he was not mentally prepared to face Nadal, who deserved to win. The most important thing this season is to arrive healthy,” specified the person in charge of Novak arriving with his best tennis in the French capital.
The most anticipated duel returns, with the ‘intruder’ Alcaraz
Beyond Ivanisevic’s words, the return of one of the greatest rivalries in tennis history it will be a reality in the next clay court tour And it is that if Djokovic reinforces his preparation in these weeks of absence due to covid restrictions, Rafa Nadal also does so to return stronger than ever to his favorite section of the course after his injury at the Australian Open.
The “breakdown” in the iliopsoas was worse than expected, so much so that the technical team ruled out the possibility of him playing on hard courts again before Monte-Carlo, the first stop on clay. Conservative strategy to return with everything to Pariswhere he still trusts the fifteenth crown.
An intruder appears in this battle, Alcaraz, a tennis player who did not fall short last season in terms of titles on the surface of the earth and who only looks at the number one in the ATP. Rio de Janeiro, Barcelona and Madrid they were his conquests in 2022 on clay, Roland Garros was left for the ‘elderly’, but this year the young man from El Palmar will not go out to speculate.
There, Juan Carlos Ferrero’s pupil could land as number one in the world, as long as he takes advantage of the opportunity that he will enjoy in the first two Masters 1,000 of the year to surpass ‘Nole’ and maintain his position in the carousel of tournaments that will take place. looming: Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and Rome.
