"Adds a bit more pressure and also motivation": Djokovic admits poor preparation ahead of Roland Garros

The 2023 Roland Garros will be a very pivotal event for Novak Djokovic as he could win an iconic 23rd grand slam trophy on the courts that traditionally belonged to Rafael Nadal.

The Spaniard isn't in Paris this year which makes this event a lot easier to win than in years past. The Serbian is considered one of the favourites to do so but this clay season didn't quite go as well as he had hoped. Last year he looked a lot better winning the Rome Masters for example but he was still beaten by Nadal in the quarter-final. This year he lost to Rune in Rome and didn't play that much better in the events before dealing with an elbow injury as well.

Read also

2023 French Open Roland Garros ATP and WTA Prize Money and Points Breakdown with €49.6m on offer

Lacklustre Preparation

All of that amount to a very lacklustre preparation for Roland Garros. He didn't play that many matches and those that he did play didn't really show anything special. It's not atypical for him because he generally paces himself to peak at the grand slam however he did admit that he hoped the preparation went a bit better:

"I know how to, how to manage myself and my team and look, you know, I haven't had a fantastic preparation prior to Roland-Garros. But, you know, I'm always saying that Roland-Garros is where I want to peak. So I'm, I'm aiming for that and I'm hoping that I come to life and come to reality here."

Read also

2023 French Open Roland Garros Day Two Schedule/Preview including Djokovic, Alcaraz, Garcia, Norrie, Bencic, Kvitova and Svitolina

Experience is key

Despite that, Djokovic has experience on which he can lean on in most of these matches. Winning best of five matches is hard and it's something he knows how to do:

"I actually think that the, the grand slams are a whole different ball game as they like to say, or a whole different sport really because it, it's played in, you know, best of five. I think because of the importance of this event in the history of our sport, it just adds a bit more pressure, it adds also a bit more motivation. So I'm ready to give it all as, as I always have."

Read also

"I felt part of me is leaving with him too": Djokovic gets emotional over Nadal's retirement announcement