By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday April 13, 2023
It is sort of weird, actually, particularly after we contemplate how a lot success Novak Djokovic has had over the course of his illustrious profession. And but, the Serb’s struggles at Monte-Carlo, a spot the place he twice defeated Rafael Nadal en path to the title (in 2013 and 2015), proceed.
After Thursday’s loss to Lorenzo Musetti, Djokovic drops to 7-7 in Monte-Carlo since 2016. He has not reached the semifinals since then, and has misplaced 4 instances to gamers ranked outdoors of the Top 20.
We can take a look at it this manner: final season Djokovic misplaced to No.46-ranked Alejandro Davidovich Fokina within the third-round. He then proceeded to win 32 consecutive instances in opposition to gamers ranked outdoors the Top 20 till immediately, when he fell to Musetti in a wild affair, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.
We ought to have heeded Djokovic when he stated the next on Tuesday:
“Clay surface for me is the most challenging surface to adapt, you know, to get into the rhythm.“Historically, I mean, throughout my career I needed one, two weeks of tournaments to really start to play the way I want to play. It’s the case again this year, even though I trained for three weeks and I felt good playing practice points.”
On Thursdsay we got an excellent instance of what Djokovic was referring to. He wasn’t himself. He might not have been one hundred pc, both. The World No.1 wore a compression sleeve on his proper arm and at instances served at velocity manner beneath regular.
Is there an harm to take care of?
Whatever it was, Djokovic didn’t need to speak about it after his loss. He got here to his press convention and answered questions shortly.
It went like this:
Q. Can you say a bit extra about your…
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I can not say nothing. I’m okay. I’m high-quality. Congrats to him. We transfer on.
Clearly Djokovic is feeling wholesome sufficient to play subsequent week: “Next week I play Banja Luka,” he concluded.
Source: www.tennisnow.com