Andy Roddick makes ‘concerning’ Novak Djokovic observation after watching his Monte Carlo defeat

Novak Djokovic’s stuttering start to the 2024 season continued with a disjointed display in his defeat against Casper Ruud in the Monte Carlo Masters semi-finals, with former US Open champion Andy Roddick questioning one key factor of his demeanour after the match.
Norwegian Ruud delivered the biggest win of his career with a 6-4 1-6 6-4 victory to reach his second ATP Masters 1000 final.
Ruud had never won a set against Djokovic in their first five meetings but found his form against the tournament’s top seed to battle through to the final, where he will face Stefanos Tsitsipas.
In a rematch of last year’s French Open final between the pair, Djokovic – who had appeared to struggle physically during his quarter-final win over Alex De Minaur – failed to find his usual high levels.
Ruud, though, rose to the occasion on Court Rainier III to hold off a fightback from the Serbian in the final set, with Djokovic recovering from 4-1 down to level.
The 25-year-old rallied to claim a third match point after Djokovic double-faulted, completing a hard-fought victory in two hours and 17 minutes.
Djokovic, meanwhile, sees his hunt for a first tournament win of 2024 continue.
“I am super happy. This is a day I will remember for a long time,” Ruud told the ATP Tour website.
“Beating a world number one is something I have never done and beating Novak is something I have never done.
“I am very, very happy. I am a little bit in a state of shock right now.”
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Djokovic has beaten Ruud with a degree of comfort in their previous meetings, with the scale of his slide highlighted by this defeat.
It inspired former world No 1 Roddick to suggest Djokovic may not be at full strength physically, as the Serbian again looked hot and jaded at times against Ruud.
The 24-time Grand Slam legend confirmed he was struggling with his health as he overheated during matches at the Australian Open in January and he was also struggling with the heat when he played in the Indian Wells Masters last month.
The same issue was in evidence on a relatively cool Saturday afternoon against Ruud in Monte Carlo, as a red-faced Djokovic appeared to be struggling to find the energy levels to compete with a gutsy opponent.
That inspired Roddick to question if Djokovic is not at his best physically as he looks ahead to a clay court season that will conclude with the French Open in Paris.
“I’m having a hard time getting a read on the Novak we say in Monte Carlo and the reasonings for it,” Roddick told the Tennis Channel.
“In the first set, he looked exhausted. The rally would go seven or eight balls and he looked exhausted.
“We are talking a 72-degree day and 2-2 or 3-3 in the first set and it was weird to watch.
“Then he finds his game and comes back, but in the last game of the match he missed a first ball, he misses a high volley by seven or eight feet… we are supposed to know what is going to happen based on history and it just didn’t all week.
“It’s like he was searching for something all week. The physical stuff, I don’t know what it is. It’s a little concerning.
“You don’t normally see someone who is jaded early and comes back, but it’s a little concerning.”
Djokovic didn’t explain why he was struggling physically as he surrendered his Australian Open title to Jannik Sinner in January, but it appears the same issues that affected him in Melbourne are still troubling him now.