Novak Djokovic is still on the way to recover his best level before facing Roland Garros, one of his great challenges this season. Despite falling to Rafa Nadal in the final of the 1,000 Masters in Rome, the Serbian tennis player said that he is very satisfied with his performance in the Roman tournament.
A satisfaction that Djokovic expressed with his most extroverted way when asked about the threat of the young tennis players of the circuit, known as NextGen. “We are reinventing the NextGen. Rafa, I and Federer are the NextGen,” joked Djokovic in his speech at the trophy ceremony to the applause and laughter of the attendees, Rafa Nadal included.
At the post-match press conference, Djokovic wanted to draw positive conclusions from the 1000 Masters in Rome. “We have played three hours of high quality tennis. I am disappointed not to win but at the same time I am very proud of the level of tennis that I have displayed in the final stages of the tournament. I'm going to Paris with a good feeling and I'm starting to feel the way I want to on clay. I think that if I play the way I did on Saturday and in the final, I have a great chance to win in Paris. I could have been eliminated in the quarterfinals, I am very happy with my fighting spirit. The level of tennis is getting higher and higher. On Saturday I played very well and in the final I also showed a great level. Unfortunately in the decisive moments of the first and third sets I was not lucky “
Djokovic wanted to downplay the fact that he had played two games on Saturday before the final against Nadal, although he did highlight the difficulties he experienced against Tsitsipas and compared them to Nadal's troubles against Shapovalov. “I didn't have a lot of fatigue. Nadal broke my serve and played better, that's right. Until the end I was very close. I had my shots to win, but that doesn't mean anything, I didn't feel fatigue. What's more, I feel happy with how I was in the runway, it could have been more hours. Mentally the match against Tsitsipas was very tough. I was one set and one break down. He served to win the game, he had everything to win it, as Shapovalov had with Rafa. We both managed to get out of a very big hole and reach the final. But Rafa was better in the decisive moments and he took the victory, although I was very close. I draw a lot of positive conclusions from the final. “
The next goal for Djokovic will be the Belgrade Open (May 22-29), his last tournament before Roland Garros, where he believes he can reach his best level to continue with the challenge of winning all four Grand Slam in the same year, something that only Don Budge and Rod Laver have achieved in the men's category and Margaret Court and Steffi Graf. “I will rest as much as I can after so long with the racket on the court. I need to recover and I will return to training a few days before the Belgrade Open. I will give it my all when playing at home. I love seeing people in the stands and the energy they transmit to go to Paris with a good feeling, on the track, off the track and spend time with the family before going to Roland Garros. I notice the quality of my tennis. I have to keep training and play more games, but I'm on the right track. The last few days in Rome have given me extra confidence on clay. I have found my game, now I have to maintain that level and reach my peak of form in Paris. “