‘Next week I play Banja Luka’

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 occasions 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 occasions in opposition to gamers ranked outdoors the Top 20 till at present, 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 a superb instance of what Djokovic was referring to. He wasn’t himself. He could not have been 100%, both. The World No.1 wore a compression sleeve on his proper arm and at occasions served at velocity approach beneath regular.

Is there an harm to cope with?

Whatever it was, Djokovic didn’t wish 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’t say nothing. I’m okay. I’m wonderful. Congrats to him. We transfer on.

Clearly Djokovic is feeling wholesome sufficient to play subsequent week: “Next week I play Banja Luka,” he concluded.