Novak Djokovic will arrive at Roland Garros with new courage and as one of the fittest tennis players on the circuit after his victory at the Masters 1,000 in Rome, where he got the thorn out of his disqualification at the US Open after hitting a linesman with a ball.
Djokovic will arrive in Paris with 1,410 points of advantage in the ranking over Nadal (and with the possibility of further expanding that income since he can add points while Nadal will not add to the title defense) and with the euphoria in the air in search of his second title on the clay of Paris after the one achieved in 2016.
Speaking to ESPN Tennis after defeating Argentine Diego Schwartzman Djokovic in the Rome final, Djokovic wanted to put pressure on the Balearic Islands, stating that, in Rome, it has been seen that Nadal is not invincible on clay. “Despite losing this week, I think the big favorite is Rafa Nadal. Many people agree that he is the great candidate to the title because of the record he has there, his results … You can't put anyone in front of him. But definitely, Diego Schwartzman showed that Nadal is not invincible on clay. “
The Serbian also wanted to emphasize that in Paris he will face an environment similar to that of Rome, which can benefit him after winning the title in the Italian capital and, in turn, can harm Nadal. “In Paris we will also play on heavy, wet clay, in a night session, with lights and a little less boat, and I don't think he likes it more than the high boat. Nadal likes fast, warm conditions where he can use his spin. We will see, it will be very interesting. He is the number one favorite but there are players who can beat him. It's five sets so you have to be fit to win. “