Serbian Novak Djokovic, number one in the world, said this Saturday that “everyone” knows “who is the favorite” to conquer the next Roland Garros and that is, “obviously”, the Spanish Rafa Nadal, twelve times 'king' in Paris. “Roland Garros is the last Slam (of the year), the last chance of the season and we all know who the main favorite is. Obviously Nadal, with all that he has won there, lost perhaps a couple of matches in his entire career at that track, which is probably the longest record. shocking that exists, on all tracks “Djokovic highlighted after qualifying for the semifinals at the 1000 Masters in Rome.
Djokovic added that Nadal “You always put it in the head of the Favorites list in Paris “, even after the Manacor, number 2 in the world, was without competing for six and a half months. Nadal played again this week on the clay of the Foro Italico and was the protagonist of high-level benefits, both against his compatriot Pablo Carreño (6-1 and 6-1) and against the Serbian Dusan Lajovic (6-1 and 6-3).
Nole spoke at a press conference after sealing his eleventh qualification for the semifinals in Rome, after bending, with some troubles and in three sets (6-3, 4-6 and 6-3), to the German Dominik Koepfer, number 97 and coming from the qualifying phase. He only took advantage of six of his 21 break balls and, in a tense moment, he broke his racket by throwing it to the ground, which prompted a warning from the chair umpire. He lost his cool again after he was disqualified from the US Open for inadvertently hitting a linesman.
“Let me tell you, it is not the first nor will it be the last racket that I will break in my career. I did it in the past and I probably will again”, Djokovic replied to the question if he is working for better manage these moments of tension. “I don't want to do it (break the rackets), but when it happens, it happens. It's the way I release my anger sometimes. And it sure isn't the best message, particularly for the young players who look at me. I don't encourage you to do it at all “he continued. “But we are people. There are times when I don't (break rackets) and others where I do. It is not predictable. I am working on a mental level as well as work on a physical level. Has always been part of my training “, he concluded.