Novak Djokovic, outgoing winner of Roland-Garros, has entered the ATP 250 tournament in Geneva this week to try to find his “best level”, after a start to the season far from his usual standards, he said on Tuesday .
“I am looking for my best possible level,” declared the world number one, recipient of an invitation to this tournament in Switzerland, which serves as a final preparation for the Parisian Grand Slam (May 26-June 9) .
“At the moment, there is no better training for me than playing matches. I feel that I need more matches,” he assured, on the eve of his entry into the running , “this is my way of trying to find the form I need for Roland-Garros”.
“I don’t come out of obligation,” the Serbian then justified: “It’s really my desire, my feelings, my passion, my love for tennis. I try to stay connected with this feeling.”
The winner of 24 Grand Slam titles, who celebrated his 37th birthday on Wednesday, remains eliminated in the third round on the clay court of Rome. He has not yet won any tournament or even played in a final in 2024.
Asked about the forces present at Roland-Garros, he still counted himself among the five favorites he cited. After placing Rafael Nadal “out of respect” as the “biggest favorite”, Djokovic gave a more detailed prediction: “Casper Ruud is surely one of the five players candidates for victory. We also have Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, all the players who won a major tournament this year on this surface And afterward, maybe me, if I feel good (…) At Roland Garros, and at all the Grand Slams, I am a unique player. little different,” he warned.
