Novak Djokovic Hopes for One Last Showdown with Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros

World number one Novak Djokovic is eagerly anticipating a potential final showdown with the legendary Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros, despite doubts surrounding the 14-time French Open champion’s participation in the upcoming tournament.

Nadal’s recent withdrawal from the Monte Carlo Masters has raised concerns about his fitness and readiness for the French Open, but Djokovic remains hopeful that the Spaniard will make a comeback on the clay courts.

In a recent interview with Eurosport, Djokovic expressed his admiration for Nadal’s remarkable career achievements, especially on the clay surface where he has dominated at Roland Garros.

“As a tennis fan, I want him to play at least one more tournament before he retires,” Djokovic stated. “We all know what he’s done on clay in his career, particularly at Roland Garros. That’s his goal, and for the sake of tennis and the tournament itself, we hope he can compete there. It would be fantastic to witness another epic encounter between us.”

As Djokovic prepares to kick off his campaign at the Monte Carlo Masters, he will be without his longtime coach Goran Ivanisevic, with whom he recently parted ways. Instead, Djokovic has enlisted the help of former doubles world number one Nenad Zimonjic to fine-tune his game for the clay-court season.

Reflecting on his new coaching arrangement, Djokovic praised Zimonjic’s expertise and mentorship, highlighting the valuable insights he has provided to enhance his net game.

With the French Open fast approaching, tennis fans around the world are eagerly anticipating the possibility of witnessing Djokovic and Nadal renew their rivalry on the hallowed clay courts of Roland Garros, in what could be a fitting conclusion to one of the greatest matchups in tennis history.