By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday Could 21, 2024
The Roland-Garros predominant draw kicks off in 5 days, and Novak Djokovic has not arrived on the grounds but. That’s as a result of the World No.1 is in Geneva, the place he’ll tackle Yannick Hanfmann in second-round motion on the Geneva Open on Wednesday night.
Djokovic, 12-5 on the season and nonetheless with out an ATP title to his identify, says he’s in Geneva as a result of he wants matches to really feel proper forward of this yr’s French Open.
It is not the standard warmup for Roland-Garros, however Djokovic believes that this yr, given the circumstances, it’s the proper preparation.
“The rationale why I selected to return and play is as a result of I really feel like at this second, there isn’t a higher apply for me than match play,” stated Djokovic, who’s bidding for his 1,000th ATP win. “I really feel like I would like extra matches, even when it is one match, two matches, three, 4 hopefully. It is good for me, as a result of that is the best way for me to attempt to discover that form of type that I would like for Roland-Garros.”
The defending champion will bid for his fourth title within the French capital subsequent week, however earlier than he does, he want to add a 99th profession title in Geneva.
𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 🔥🔥🔥
⏰ Not earlier than 6 pm !#gonetgenevaopen #atpgva #djoko #djokovic #hanfmann #atp #tennistv #atptour #geneva #geneve #suisse #switzerland #genevaevent #tennis #welovetennis #tennislove #tennisfan #tennislife #tennistime pic.twitter.com/xclP8qsW0q
— Gonet Geneva Open (@genevaopen) Could 21, 2024
For Djokovic in the meanwhile, it’s all about preparing for the grind of greatest of 5 matches, and the 36-year-old feels he’s higher off enjoying a match than merely heading to Paris for apply periods at this level.
It has been a turbulent season for the Grand Slam king. He parted methods with longtime coach Goran Ivanisivec in March, earlier than additionally altering health coaches final month.
Now working in a second stint with health coach Gebhard Gritsch after parting methods with Marco Panichi, Djokovic is inserting an emphasis on constructing power and endurance as he bids for a twenty fifth main title.
“By way of health, I’ve devoted fairly a little bit of time with my new health coach to construct the endurance, to construct bodily power and capabilities that I would like with a purpose to play a best-of-five Grand Slam on the bodily most demanding floor, which is clay,” Djokovic stated. “So hopefully I will get a couple of match right here in Geneva, that is the purpose after which let’s examine what occurs in Paris.”
