Exclusive: Novak Djokovic 'saving energy' for busy summer, says Alex Corretja ahead of French Open
By Lewis Mason
Updated 21/05/2024 at 20:44 GMT+1
Novak Djokovic has failed to win any of the five tournaments he has played in so far in 2024 and, with his French Open title defence coming up, he will return to court at the Geneva Open to play Yannick Hanfmann in the last-16. Djokovic was beaten by Alejandro Tabilo at the Italian Open last time out. Alex Corretja thinks Djokovic is "saving energy" ahead of a busy summer.
Highlights: Djokovic crashes out as terrific Tabilo reaches last 16 at Italian Open
Video credit: SNTV
Novak Djokovic will be trying to find some much-needed form on clay ahead of the French Open when he takes to the court at the Geneva Open.
The world No. 1 will go up against Yannick Hanfmann after the German got the better of Andy Murray in the first round.
He accepted a wild card entry to the tournament - something he rarely does in the build-up to a major.
Djokovic’s title defence at Roland-Garros is fast approaching but he is on course to arrive in Paris with little in the way of success behind him so far in 2024.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has failed to win any of the five tournaments he has competed in, losing against Alejandro Tabilo in the second round of the Italian Open on his last outing.
Eurosport’s Alex Corretja thinks Djokovic is playing the long game this season and not allowing himself to burn out.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/05/12/3967054-80535793-2560-1440.jpg)
'Like a different player entered in my shoes' - Djokovic reacts to shock loss in Rome
Video credit: SNTV
"It seems to me that Novak is saving energy for the summer time for Roland-Garros, Wimbledon, Olympics, the US Open," he said.
“I think he knows that it's going to be a very busy time and he's been just hanging in there, observing his body, you know, his mind.
“Definitely he needs a good first week to get in shape again, to get some rhythm, to get some feeling with the ball and to spend a little bit of time to suffer one of those matches where maybe he doesn't feel great, but he needs to get through and get that confidence back."
Djokovic finished 2023 with successive victories at the Cincinnati Masters, US Open and Paris Masters before rounding things off with the ATP World Tour Finals title.
Despite the Serbian not lifting a trophy since that Turin win in November, Corretja is expecting normal service to be resumed in Paris.
“I'm counting on Novak," he explained. "Of course he knows how to deal in the slams. He's the defending champion. He loves to play there on that Philippe Chatrier. So, I'm not worried about his form.Â
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/04/23/3954325-80300208-2560-1440.jpg)
Djokovic targets Slam and Olympics success during difficult 2024
Video credit: SNTV
"I'm more just interested to see how he's going to deal with the whole situation once he doesn't feel as great as he wished, but I have no doubt that he's going to be good.”
Djokovic has played just six times on clay this year, and Corretja thinks he needs a decent run in Geneva to get his game together.
“If he's able to play like two or three matches, he will get to Roland Garros in a good shape, and definitely with his confidence back,” Corretja said.
- When is the French Open 2024? Who is playing?
- Exclusive: 'Nadal doesn't need to prove anything' - Corretja
“I think it's a matter of also feeling the ball and the moments where you need to save break points, where you need to serve for the match, where you need to know where you are going to serve, where you're going to stand at the return.
“This is what maybe Novak is missing a little bit on clay, but as the tournament will go on as the matches he will play for sure, he's going to be ready."
Djokovic: I need more matches
Djokovic has been speaking to the media ahead of his opening match in Geneva against Hanfmann in the second round.
He says he needs to get some competitive action under his belt in Switzerland so that he is well prepared for the French Open.
“The reason why I chose to come and play is because I feel like at this moment, there is no better practice for me than match play,” he said.
“I feel like I need more matches, even if it's one match, two matches, three, four hopefully. It's good for me, because that's the way for me to try to find that kind of form that I need for Roland-Garros."
Djokovic adds that he has been working hard to improve on his fitness with a new coach.
Djokovic parted ways with fitness coach Marco Panichi last month, with Austrian coach Gebhard Gritsch returning to his team as a replacement.
He added: ”In terms of fitness, I've dedicated quite a bit of time with my new fitness coach to build the endurance, to build physical strength and capabilities that I need in order to play a best-of-five Grand Slam on the physically most demanding surface, which is clay.
"So hopefully I'm going to get more than one match here in Geneva, that's the goal and then let's see what happens in Paris.”
Stream the 2024 French Open live and on-demand on discovery+
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement