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Doubts await Djokovic as Roland Garros title defence begins

Broadcast United News Desk
Doubts await Djokovic as Roland Garros title defence begins

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World number one Novak Djokovic will be the main focus at Roland Garros on Tuesday (May 28) when he begins his French Open title defence against Pierre-Hugues Herbert, but expectations are lower this year after dominating last year.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion should get a good workout on his French wildcard before facing tougher opponents, but Djokovic won’t take it lightly after losing to lucky loser Luca Nardi in Indian Wells.

In addition to the French Open title, the Serbian won the Australian Open and US Open last year, reached the Wimbledon final and will start his campaign at the Adelaide Open in 2023, but Djokovic has yet to reach the final this year.

Djokovic’s performance on clay courts this season has seen him advance to the semifinals in Monte Carlo and Geneva, and he was eliminated in the third round in Rome, but Paris is the goal he has always been aiming for.

“I know exactly what I need to do in a Grand Slam environment or in a Grand Slam tournament, so to speak,” Djokovic told reporters.

“The type of game and feel of this game is completely different than any other game on our schedule.”

Now, with his No. 1 ranking under serious threat from Jannik Sinner, who ended Djokovic’s title defence in the semi-finals in Australia, the 37-year-old will need to make significant progress in Paris to retain his throne.

Herbert knows what it takes to win at Roland Garros, but both of his French Open titles came in doubles and he has won one career Grand Slam. As a singles player, he has yet to make it past the third round of Roland Garros.

The two had only met once before, more than a decade ago. Herbert was Djokovic’s first opponent at the 2013 Paris Masters, where the Serbian won two straight sets and eventually won the title.

Ever since Rafael Nadal withdrew from the tournament on Monday, fans have been looking forward to seeing “The Joker” put on a great show for the crowd at Roland Garros.

Last year’s losing finalist Casper Ruud will also be in action, facing Brazilian qualifier Felipe Meligini Alves. The Norwegian seventh seed is fresh off a win in Geneva, where he played in both the semifinals and final on Saturday.

“I feel calm, at peace, the 250m race is smaller and I can focus on my practice and still compete at the same time,” Ruud said upon arriving in Paris.

World number two Aryna Sabalenka will take on Russian Erica Andreeva in her bid to break Iga Swiatek’s dominance at Roland Garros. Australian Open champion Sabalenka reached the semifinals last year and this is her best performance in Paris.

Fourth seed Elena Rybakina will look to shake off recent health issues when she takes on Belgian Greet Minnen. The Kazakh pulled out of the Indian Wells Open and missed the Italian Open, and bowed out before the third round of the Paris Open last year.

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