Djokovic Addresses 'Opportunity' Presented By Nadal's Absence In Monte Carlo

| by Zachary Wimer

Novak Djokovic didn't enjoy as much success as he would like to at the Monte-Carlo Masters in the past but he can change that this year.

The experienced Serb enters the tournaments as the first seed and he'll be looking to improve his record in the Monte-Carlo Country Club. In the past, he played 48 matches at the first ATP 1000 clay-court event of the season and won 35 of those, resulting in being his worst Masters event with only a 73% win rate, despite being truly incredible compared to the numbers of many other players.

This year, Djokovic had a lot of time to prepare for the clay-court season as he missed the Sunshine Double, and in Monte Carlo, he will play his first competitive match in more than a month. Speaking about building up his form toward the tournament and the peak of the clay-court season, the world no. 1 said:

"I do pick and choose the events where I want to peak and how I want to build my form and how I want to work around my schedule. And I haven’t had much success in Monte Carlo in the last three years, I haven’t played really good tennis here. So I’m hoping that this year I can start to play season better than I did in the previous years and hopefully build my form as I’m coming closer to Paris."

2023 Monte-Carlo Masters ATP Prize Money & Points Overview - 5,779,335€
2023 Monte-Carlo Masters ATP Prize Money & Points Overview - 5,779,335€

The 2023 Monte-Carlo Masters is marked also by many withdrawals from the likes of Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, who withdrew shortly after his compatriot. Nadal is the most successful player in the history of the tournament and so it's not a surprise that Djokovic sees his absence as an opportunity, despite mentioning undeniable qualities of his greatest rival.

"Of course, in one way it’s a loss for the tournament and for tennis in general, because he’s by far the most successful clay court tennis player of all time. We know how many times he has won Monaco and all the other events on clay. But on the other hand, it’s an opportunity, I think, for all of us others, when he’s not there to try to go far and grab a title."

Djokovic Ready To Turn His Luck In Monte Carlo Around
Djokovic Ready To Turn His Luck In Monte Carlo Around

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