Former ATP player and current tennis analyst Alex Corretja thinks that Novak Djokovic's recent dip in form is nothing to worry about because of the upcoming summer season.
The type of year Djokovic has had so far is less than ideal because the Serbian hasn't really played up to his level. To be completely fair, he didn't play that much, but when he did play, he didn't look near the level we've gotten used to from him.
Not all of that was completely his fault, though. Jannik Sinner was simply unstoppable in Australia, and the incident in Rome, when a water bottle dropped on his head, certainly was one of the most bizarre things to ever happen to a tennis player.
He was looking miles better this week in Geneva, earning two wins and booking the semi-final, before losing to Tomas Machac. For Corretja, who spoke to Eurosport, it seems almost as if Djokovic is holding back slightly because the Serbian might be conserving energy for a very busy summer.
"It seems to me that Novak is saving energy for the summer time for Roland-Garros, Wimbledon, Olympics, the US Open. I think he knows that it's going to be a very busy time and he's been just hanging in there, observing his body, you know, his mind."
Corretja is not the only tennis person who expects Djokovic to play far better in Paris than at the level we've seen so far. According to the Spaniard, the first week of the event will be crucial because the 24-time major winner can use it to fine-tune his level even further while obviously avoiding overly complicated matches that might extend to several hours across five sets.
"Definitely he needs a good first week to get in shape again, to get some rhythm, to get some feeling with the ball and to spend a little bit of time to suffer one of those matches where maybe he doesn't feel great, but he needs to get through and get that confidence back."
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