"I don't have high expectations for my result" - Novak Djokovic on what he hopes to achieve at the Madrid Open

Friday, 25 April 2025 at 03:00

Former World No.1 Novak Djokovic is still on his quest for his 100th ATP title, but he has admitted it will likely not come at the ongoing Madrid Open.

The Serbian superstar kicked off his European clay court season with an opening round loss at the Monte-Carlo Masters two weeks ago. Djokovic fell to Alejandro Tabilo in straight sets, and the Chilean now holds a 2-0 lead over the 24-time Grand Slam champion after defeating him in Rome last year.

Djokovic focused on playing matches ahead of the French Open

The 37-year old has not made many appearances in Madrid over the last few years, as this will be his second appearance since 2019. The fourth seed knows it will be challenging to produce good results this year, and revealed he was more interested in preparing for the French Open, which begins at the end of May.

"I always have a good level of tennis when I play in Madrid, but I haven't won much in the last few years,” said Djokovic. “Now I'm looking for the level where I can play my best, to see the tennis I want, especially for Roland Garros.
“I don't have high expectations for my result, to be honest. We'll see. I'm really excited to play here because the people are supporting me, I've been feeling it these days training with the fans, a lot of positive energy. I hope I can use this to play well."

Due to receiving a first-round bye via his high ranking, Djokovic will kick off his Madrid campaign with a second round clash against Italian Matteo Arnaldi on Saturday.

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Arthur Ajayi

Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.

As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.

With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.

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