Novak Djokovic set to return to Madrid Open for first time in three years

A sure-fire sign that Novak Djokovic will prioritise lead up tournaments for clay this year, he has signed up for the Madrid Open which is due to take place between April 21 - May 5, 2025.

Djokovic who played Monte-Carlo last year before then surprisingly playing Geneva after multiple high profile losses is still in the Last 16 of the Miami Open after his early exit at Indian Wells. He faces Lorenzo Musetti on Tuesday evening.

It will mark a 13th appearance in Madrid, he first competed there in 2006. He saw off Richard Gasquet who will retire this year. Since then he has claimed the title three times in 2011, 2016 and 2019 all of this like most of his clay court career amid the dominance of Rafael Nadal.

While the tournament won't have the star power of Nadal this year who has since retired, they get the player seen by many as the greatest of all time.

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This also points towards a multitude of differing reasons including potentially playing tournaments like this for the final time and also one last attack at Roland Garros and leaving no stone unturned for number 25.

Djokovic has been poor at times over the 18 months but only due to his incredibly high standards. But given the current state of ATP tennis which has folded while Jannik SInner is off the court, Djokovic will hope that he can revive his Grand Slam hopes with no player certainly standing out right now.

Albeit it is perhaps uncertain whether Djokovic will bother playing Rome. He got struck by a water bottle infamously last year after being defeated by Alejandro Tabilo so whether he decides to merely play Madrid remains to be seen.

Rome in the weeks that follow is in fact the return of Jannik Sinner after his three month ban but Djokovic and Alcaraz will be the leading lights at least in Madrid.

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