Djokovic Given Harsh Reality Check Before Clay Swing: 'He's Going To Run Into Problems'
NewsTuesday, 01 April 2025 at 18:16
This year's clay-court swing might not be so easy for Novak Djokovic, according to former ATP World No. 1, Mats Wilander.
Djokovic is one of the greatest clay-court players of all time. His ability to play well on the surface was often overshadowed by Rafael Nadal, but the fact that the Serbian could win three French Open titles during the Spaniard's lifetime just shows his ability to play well on the red dirt.
The 37-year-old ended his hard-court season with a loss to Jakub Mensik in the Miami Open final, and now, like the rest of the Tour, he will turn his focus to clay.
Djokovic will be, as always, one of the favorites to do well, just because of his incredible list of achievements, but former ATP World No. 1 player, Mats Wilander, thinks that this year's clay-court season won't be so easy for the three-time Roland Garros winner.
Wilander spoke to TNT Sports, saying that Djokovic will likely run into some problems, because his game is not suited that well to the clay courts.
"I think he's going to run into some problems, and I think that that's the one thing that we've seen with Novak in general, is that the early part of the clay season is not necessarily his best season."
"The reason for that to me is that he's a great clay court player without being a clay court player, because of the way that he hits the ball. Of course, his forehand is very much like a clay court forehand with a lot of spin, but he can, of course, flatten it out. That doesn't really work that well on a clay court."
"I think for someone like him, when he goes and plays his first few clay court tournaments, pretty much any person in the draw, I think, feels that they have a chance to play with Novak to make it a close match because of the way that Novak plays."
Wilander also compared Djokovic to the greatest clay-court player of all time, Rafael Nadal. The former Swedish player remembers that as soon as the 14-time French Open champion stepped on the red dirt, he was "a completely different animal."
"Compare that to Rafa Nadal, who immediately, as soon as he stepped out on the Monte Carlo tennis courts, he was a completely different animal. His tennis ball was doing completely different things than they were on a hard court. The other guy was just going like: 'Hold on a second. What the hell is going on here? Because I have never seen this top spin before.'"
Wilander thinks that while Djokovic won't be able to become dangerous on the clay as quickly as Nadal usually did, he will be able to find his form in time for the French Open, where the Serbian will attempt to win his 25th major.
"With Novak, you don't get that. He needs two, three weeks before he starts playing well. That's why, to me, I think the more time he can spend on a clay court, the better it is because it's not going to be great the first two, three weeks. It never really is for him."
"But then it starts coming along and in Rome, that's usually when Novak starts playing his best clay court tennis, and that's when we all go: 'Okay, hold on a second. We didn't think Novak was going to be a threat this year at the French Open. I take that back. He is now a threat.'"
"So to me, he needs to spend time on a clay court, and he needs to play as many matches, win or lose, that he can before the French Open, despite his age."
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