Serbian tennis journalist rubbishes talk of Novak Djokovic’s ‘distraction’ rumors amid poor run of form

Novak Djokovic has not won a tennis match during the course of this clay season so far.

Serbian tennis journalist rubbishes talk of Novak Djokovic’s ‘distraction’ rumors amid poor run of form

Novak Djokovic (via X/We Love Tennis)

Serbian tennis journalist Vuk Brajovic has dismissed the speculation that Novak Djokovic has lost his form on the tennis court due to distractions in his family. The 24-time Grand Slam champion has had a poor run of form and hasn’t won a clay-court match this season.

Brajovic believes that Djokovic is indeed unhappy with his current form and wants to feel joy on the court again. However, he has faced similar situations before, like in 2021, when he came to Roland Garros with few matches under his belt and ended up winning the tournament.

Saying that Novak Djokovic is not in shape because of health problems related to relatives is total nonsense. If that had been the case, I would definitely be aware. In the past, his father had problems, but that is not the case at the moment. Moreover, the interview given to this media was done as part of commercial partnerships to promote certain Novak contracts, not to find out if he was mentally well. What I know is that Novak is not happy with his form, and that he especially wants to get back to feeling good. We saw it in his last few outings, he didn’t want to play the rally, he couldn’t find any length. Afterwards, I also want to point out that in 2021, he arrived in Paris with few victories and yet he managed to win. “Really, I think Novak wants to get into good physical condition first and foremost. Then the rest will follow.

Vuk Brajovic said on a media outlet Kurir

Djokovic will headline this year’s Roland Garros as a three-time champion. Aside from Carlos Alcaraz and Stanislas Wawrinka, he will be the only former Roland Garros champion in the draw. However, his recent poor form has lowered expectations for the Paris Slam. Interestingly, he hasn’t lost a match at Roland Garros since 2022, when Rafael Nadal defeated him in the quarterfinals.

Jack Draper topples Novak Djokovic in the rankings

Jack Draper has reached a new milestone in his tennis career. On Thursday, he secured a spot in the ATP Top 5 for the first time. This big jump in the rankings pushed Novak Djokovic further down. When the new rankings come out on Monday, Draper will officially be World No. 5.

Jack Draper and Novak Djokovic

In the Madrid Open quarterfinals, Draper faced Matteo Arnaldi. Arnaldi had earlier knocked out Djokovic, but Draper dominated the match. He won 6-0, 6-4 and still hasn’t lost a set in the tournament. His wins over Berrettini, Paul, and Arnaldi have earned him a place in his first clay semifinal.

This ranking makes Draper only the fourth British man to reach the ATP Top 5. He joins Andy Murray, Tim Henman, and Greg Rusedski. It’s a big moment for British tennis, especially after a decade with no Top-5 players. Draper started the year ranked 15 and came into Madrid at No. 6.

With strong performances and Djokovic’s dip in form, Draper has taken full advantage. If he wins the title in Madrid, he’ll be just 25 points behind the World No. 4 spot. He plays Lorenzo Musetti next in the semifinals, with a chance to climb even higher.

Novak Djokovic faces questions over Roland Garros participation

The tennis world is watching closely as Novak Djokovic struggles on clay this season. He faced early losses at both the Monte Carlo Masters and the Madrid Open. These results have raised questions about his form ahead of the French Open. Fans and experts are unsure if he is ready for Roland Garros.

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

Djokovic has also decided to skip the Rome Masters. This choice has led to more doubts about his fitness and schedule. His past knee injury from Roland Garros still worries many. Clay has never been his favorite surface, and now the pressure is growing.

His recent losses have caused a drop in his ATP ranking points. Missing Rome could hurt his seeding at the French Open. A low seed might mean tougher matches early on. This could make his road to another Grand Slam even harder.

Young players like Jack Draper are looking to rise while Djokovic struggles. With his ranking at risk, Djokovic must make some key decisions soon. Everyone is waiting to see if he can bounce back and shine again on the red clay.

Also Read: Francisco Cerundolo says he doesn’t consider himself “a slave to tennis” just like Carlos Alcaraz