Novak Djokovic enters the French Open amid a run of indifferent claycourt form but few would be surprised to the see Serbian great hoist the Musketeers’ Trophy for a third time.
With Rafa Nadal sidelined with injury, Djokovic has the chance to move past the Spaniard in the Grand Slam race and take a record 23rd major title, which would strengthen his case in the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) debate.
Even with Nadal absent, Djokovic will have another Spaniard on his mind in the form of 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, a young man in a hurry to forge his own path to greatness.
The U.S. Open champion is narrowly favoured by bookmakers over Djokovic to win the French Open and the Serb rates him highly.
“He’s the player to beat on this surface, no doubt,” Djokovic said in Rome.
Despite winning at Roland Garros two years ago and in 2016, clay has never been Djokovic’s favourite surface, its pace and variation less suited to his attacking game.
His build-up has been clouded by an elbow injury which he said was bothering him before he withdrew from the Madrid tournament.
His return at Rome ended in the quarter-finals with defeat by Holger Rune, the Danish wunderkind who also upset him on a Paris hard court last year.
