April 10, (THEWILL) – Novak Djokovic is hoping to kick off his clay court season on a strong note as he prepares for the Monte Carlo Masters.
The world number one started training early for the clay court season after he was forced to skip tournaments in the United States last month due to his unvaccinated status against COVID-19. Djokovic, who last competed in early March, said his absence from the tour helped him focus on Monte Carlo, where he lost in the second round last year.
“I’ve done more training on clay, which is positive if you think about the clay season,” Djokovic said. “I’ve not had much success in Monte Carlo in the past two seasons. I haven’t played great tennis here, so I’m hoping this year I can start the clay season better than previous years and build my form.”
With Rafael Nadal sitting out Monte Carlo due to injury, Djokovic will look to build momentum ahead of the French Open where he will aim to win his 23rd Grand Slam. Djokovic, who trains at Monaco, is hopeful that home comforts will prove helpful in his quest for a record-extending 39th Masters 1000 crown at Monte Carlo.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
