History suggests Novak Djokovic may be vulnerable as he returns to action in Paris
Novak Djokovic is preparing to make his return to action at the Paris Masters, after taking his latest extended break from the game.
The world No 1 has not hit a competitive ball in anger since losing a Davis Cup doubles match with his Serbian partner Nikola Cacic on September 16th.
His decision to skip the entire Asian swing on the ATP Tour saw him miss the Shanghai Masters, but the 24-time Grand Slam-winning great insists recovery and rest are more important than challenging for more ATP 1000 titles.
He is set to use the Paris Masters event as a warm-up to a busy end to the season campaign, as he will back up his appearance in the French capital by playing for Serbia in the Davis Cup finale in Malaga next month.
Now the tennis world is waiting to see how Djokovic performs on his return to action, with his recent experiences likely to stand him in good stead when he gets back on court.
Last year the tennis great opted against taking a Covid vaccine during the global pandemic, which ensured he missed huge chunks of the season over a three-year period.
That appeared to affect his form at times, but he has found a way to click straight back into top gear in recent months.
Here is a look at some of Djokovic’s stop-start campaigns in recent years.
2020 – Promising start, shocking end
After the initial Covid shutdown and disastrous attempts to stage matches on his Adria Tour, the ATP Tour resumed with a Masters 1000 event staged at Flushing Meadows ahead of the US Open.
The tournament was won by Djokovic, as he beat Milos Raonic in the final. He was then disqualified from the US Open after striking a lines person while he hit a ball in anger.
2021 – Shock in Monaco
The Australian Open started later than usual in mid-February due to the Covid pandemic, with Djokovic showing no signs of rustiness as he bounced back from a long break to win the Melbourne Grand Slam once again.
Djokovic didn’t play again until mid-April and that break seemed to affect him, as he struggled to find his best form and lost to Britain’s Dan Evans in the Monte Carlo Masters, but he was back to his best to win the French Open and Wimbledon titles that summer.
2022 – Deportation from Australia
Djokovic was denied entry to Australia for the first major of the year due to his vaccine status, sparking an international incident that ended with his deportation.
He struggled to get back to his best after that incident and lost in Dubai against Jiri Vesely before a shock defeat against Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Monte Carlo.
He then lost to Rafael Nadal at the French Open before winning yet another Wimbledon title a few weeks later.
Djokovic then had another long break from the sport as he was denied entry into America due to his vaccine status, but this time he snapped back to finish the year on a high by winning the Tel Aviv Open, the Astana Open and the ATP Finals in Turin.
2023 – Ring rusty
Djokovic had a two-month break earlier this year as he still couldn’t enter America to play in the Indian Wells and Miami events, with another early defeat in Monte Carlo against Lorenzo Musetti evidence that he was ring rusty on his return.
Once he got some games under his belt, Djokovic moved into top form as he won the French Open last June and added the Cincinnati Masters and US Open titles to his collection in a successful summer.
VERDICT
The last few years have suggested Djokovic needs a few matches to find his feet before he is back to his very best, so his first couple of opponents in Paris may have a chance to cause an upset.
He is due to play doubles with Miomir Kecmanovic in Paris and could then meet his fellow Serb in his first singles match, with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina a possible opponent in the third round.
Djokovic rarely shows signs of vulnerabilities, but he could be tested by Davidovich Fokina after a few weeks away from the court.
