Novak Djokovic elected to prepare for the upcoming Roland Garros at home in Belgrade instead of Paris.
One of the things that make Grand Slams special is the preparation players have for it. Unlike some other events, players tend to travel early to the event, up to 10 or more days before the event, to get a full week of practice on those courts.
That’s been the case for Djokovic at times as well. However, this year, the Serbian isn’t doing that for the Roland Garros. While some players, like Rafael Nadal, are already in Paris and practicing there, the Serbian elected to stay home in Belgrade and prepare at his Novak Tennis Centre, which he built years ago.
Helping him prepare for the event is fellow Serbian player Miomir Kecmanovic, who has, at times, played super solid tennis as well. Djokovic last competed at the Italian Open in Rome, where he played superb tennis to win the ATP Masters 1000 event.
That performance and generally his track record in recent years make him one of the biggest favorites among players to win the clay-court major. Many agree on that, including fellow player Alexander Zverev, who recently named him a favorite.
Tennis analyst and former player Mats Wilander also said in an interview that Djokovic is likely the top favorite to win the event, especially with Rafael Nadal's health status uncertain.
Djokovic has beaten Nadal at the event last year in a four-hour epic. The Serbian then went on to win the event by beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final in a five-setter.
Now, one year after that, Djokovic is looking equally likely to win, even though his choice of preparation might raise some eyebrows. Ultimately, after so many achievements, there is no reason to question his methods.