Novak Djokovic says he’s but to search out his highest stage as he prepares for his opening match of the Italian Open on Friday, reside on Sky Sports activities.
The lads’s world No 1 has performed in solely three tournaments to this point in 2024, shedding within the semi-finals of each the opening Grand Slam of the season, the Australian Open, and on the clay on the Monte-Carlo Masters final month.
The Italian Open represents Djokovic’s closing tune-up forward of his title defence on the French Open, the place the 36-year-old is hoping “to arrive ready to fight for a title”, with additional Slam alternatives at Wimbledon and the US Open, in addition to the Olympics, mendacity in wait this summer time.
“I’m yet to find the highest level of tennis,” Djokovic informed Sky Sports activities.
“Clearly the block of Roland-Garros, Wimbledon, Olympics and US Open is an important of the 12 months for me. That is the precedence and what I am setting my kind for.
“Hopefully I can find that desired level of tennis this week; Roland-Garros is definitely where I want to arrive ready to fight for a title.”
Because the Australian Open in January, Djokovic has performed solely six matches within the subsequent three and a half months, which included struggling a shock third-round exit to qualifying fortunate loser Luca Nardi at Indian Wells in March.
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Watch the second fortunate loser Luca Nardi beat his idol Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells.
The Serb is not apprehensive about the potential of being undercooked, nevertheless, going into his opening match in opposition to Corentin Moutet in Rome – reside on Sky Sports activities Tennis from 6pm, Friday.
“It maybe takes a little bit more time to find that desired level because you’re lacking that competitive match play,” he added.
“But it’s a conscious decision I’m making [to play less]. I’m almost 37 and I want to spend more time with the family, and I want to pick and choose a little bit more from this season onwards – where I want to play, where I enjoy playing and where it suits my schedule so I can set my form for the biggest tournaments in the sport.”
‘Djokovic thrives on problem of rising Alcaraz and Sinner’
Regardless of his lack of enjoying time in latest months, Djokovic has a fantastic alternative to safe his first title of 2024 in Rome, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner each lacking the event via harm.
The pair are the main younger abilities to emerge within the males’s recreation, with Alcaraz beating Djokovic in final 12 months’s Wimbledon closing to say his second slam and Sinner profitable his first in Australia earlier this 12 months, having knocked out Djokovic within the semi-finals.
Jannik Sinner beat Novak Djokovic within the semi-finals on his approach to claiming his first Grand Slam title on the Australian Open
“He must be feeling the pressure a little bit more than at other times, in terms of Alcaraz and Sinner,” Annabel Croft stated.
“It’s interesting to think where his confidence is really at because we know those have definitely arrived and are challenging big time for the big prizes.
“In truth, I believed it was unimaginable how after shedding to Alcaraz at Wimbledon in that epic five-set thriller that Djokovic was in a position to come again to win with a flourish the remainder of the 12 months – particularly on the ATP Finals.
“He sounds very calm about what is happening this year. No, he hasn’t had any big wins on the tour but he sounds at ease with that.
“And possibly he’s the favorite right here [in Rome], particularly given a few niggling accidents to Sinner, Alcaraz and a few others.
“You just can’t argue with the credibility he brings out onto the court every time he’s out there. He knows how to do it, how to peak at the right times and bring his level when he really needs it.”
Former British males’s No 1 Tim Henman informed Sky Sports activities: “Djokovic thrives on that confrontation, and Alcaraz has two slams, Sinner one and he is bought 24!
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Highlights of Rafael Nadal in opposition to Zizou Bergs from the primary spherical of the Italian Open in Rome.
“He was chasing [Roger] Federer and [Rafael] Nadal for so long… that’s when the pressure was at its most intense, because he was desperate to be the greatest male player of all time. Now he has got ahead of them, I think he’s playing with enormous freedom.
“He is aware of that kind is momentary and sophistication is everlasting.”
What’s developing on Sky Sports activities Tennis?
Within the run-up to the second Grand Slam of 2024 – the French Open at Roland Garros from Could 26 – you possibly can watch the entire largest tennis stars in motion reside on Sky Sports activities as they compete throughout the clay-court season.
- Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome (ATP and WTA Masters 1000) – Could 7-19
- Geneva Open (ATP 250) – Could 20-26
- Lyon Open (ATP 250) – Could 20-26
- Internationaux de Strasbourg (WTA 500), with Emma Raducanu in motion – Could 20-26
- Morocco Open (WTA 250) – Could 20-26
How one can watch play on Sky Sports activities Tennis
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Sky Sports activities will broadcast extra reside tennis than anyplace else in 2024, together with on its devoted tennis channel, bringing over 4,000 matches from greater than 80 tournaments a 12 months on the ATP and WTA Excursions, plus full protection of the US Open completely reside.
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Followers may even be capable to observe their favorite gamers and achieve deeper insights from each Excursions through Sky Sports activities Information, the Sky Sports activities App and skysports.com in addition to through Sky Sports activities’ social channels.
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