Goran Ivanisevic believes Novak Djokovic is nearing a return to form in time to defend his Roland Garros title despite an early exit from the Monte Carlo Masters.
The World No 1 was competing in just his second tournament of the season due to scheduling restrictions stemming from his Covid vaccination status. Djokovic’s lack of match sharpness was evident as he crashed out of the tournament after suffering a surprise loss to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-1 in the second round.
It was Djokovic’s first match since a quarter-final defeat at the Dubai Tennis Championships in February, and just his fourth competitive clash in 2022. The 34-year-old will now look to find form ahead of the Serbia Open next week as clay-court season preparations ramp up to the second Grand Slam of the season, the French Open.
While the 20-time Grand Slam champion has played a reduced schedule largely due to complications surrounding his vaccination status, his coach Ivanisevic believes Djokovic is getting better and vowed the Serb will return to his best to be 'ready' for Roland Garros next month. Speaking to ubitennis.net , Ivanisevic said: “He wasn’t feeling well before he came here. He was sick.
“Let’s say he’s not fit 100 per cent to compete. First of all in this situation. Three weeks ago he was not allowed to play here because of the Covid decision. Then France opened and he was allowed. And it’s difficult mentally. You can play to the semi-finals, but you can’t prepare the way you would need to. And then he got sick.
“To be honest, I didn’t expect something spectacular from this tournament. But he’ll be going to the French Open in five or six weeks, he’s got a couple more tournaments and he will be ready.”
Many fans expected Davidovich Fokina to cause Djokovic problems as the World No 46 is considered a clay-court specialist. The 22-year-old excelled and proved to be a tricky test for the Serb, and Ivanisevic suggested Djokovic’s form is similar to the predicament he was in last year before he managed to turn it around.
“This guy (Djokovic) for me is the best player in the history of tennis,” the coach said. “He always finds a way to win, he always finds a way to get out of trouble.
“One moment he was losing three love when he was supposed to be leading three love. He had break points and game points. He lost a lot of energy.
“But he’ll find his way out of this in his constant playing. He only had three matches prior to this tournament. Clay is not easy. Last year he started pretty badly here, he lost to (Dan) Evans. Then in Belgrade he lost in the semis.
“He started to play well in Rome where he got to the final, then he won the French Open. So I’m not worried. He just needs some continuity. He needs to play more and more matches and he’s going to find his way.”
Djokovic’s difficult start to 2022 is a stark contrast to how the World No 1 finished the 2021 season, when he came within one win - the US Open final loss to Daniil Medvedev - of becoming the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to secure a Calendar Grand Slam. The Serb even eyed a ‘Golden’ Slam achieved by winning the Olympic gold medal as well as all four major titles.
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However, Djokovic lost to eventual champion Alexander Zverev in Tokyo last summer before he fell to Medvedev in Flushing Meadows.
Ivanisevic disagrees with the popular suggestion that Djokovic should have skipped the Olympics to focus on winning the final Grand Slam of the year at the US Open, but he did admit the 34-year-old played a difficult schedule, singling out the mixed doubles as an event he could have avoided.
It appears now the opposite has occurred whereby Djokovic has not played enough matches and is out of rhythm. His coach Ivanisevic is ready to ensure he returns to form in time to defend his 2021 French Open title.
