Novak Djokovic has shown a massive rise in his performance graph. The Serb has been struggling with his form lately, finding it hard to secure even a single title this season. While he recently dropped hints of a possible comeback with a remarkable 3 AM win over Lorenzo Musetti, most players on the Tour have nothing but praise for him.

After defeating Hubert Hurkacz and making it to the quarter-finals, the press brought up Djokovic to Grigor Dimitrov at his post-match conference. A journalist highlighted the Serb’s last match at Roland Garros, which went on till well after midnight, asked Dimitrov about the differences he has noted in Djokovic’s grip on the clay courts.

“He’s able to adapt, that’s just how it how it is. And above all, he’s probably one of the one of the best fighters out there,” the 33-year-old said, highlighting Djokovic’s strong ability to easily adapt to conditions while transitioning to different surfaces. Although one would not generally associate the Serbinator with clay, he does boast three Grand Slam wins here.

The showdown between the Serb and his Italian rival initiated multiple discussions because of being played during extensively late hours. Dimitrov, narrating how he tackled between his sleep and the anticipation to cheer the victor while the local time hit 3:00 AM, said, “I totally forgot what time I went to bed, it was late, it was like one or two the same thing and after I finished treatment I saw the score. I was like, I don’t know what’s going to happen I wake up and I see what is it love in the fifth set.”

Drawing a conclusion from his own experience of facing the Serb a total of 13 times in his career, the Bulgarian added, “Clearly he’s one of the very few players that I’ve been able to adapt to any surface and any changes and any player I think over the years and he’s been able master it or or find something else like an extra gear when he need it.”

Novak Djokovic’s presence on the clay courts season didn’t seem to be anywhere close like it used to be. However, besides Dimitrov’s comments, the Serb himself came forward to admit that the red dirt is not his forte.

Novak Djokovic keeps his expectations limited at Roland Garros

The top-line competition is up and running at the ongoing French Open and many eyes are on Novak Djokovic’s run. While everyone expected to see him rise after facing several setbacks recently, the Serb seems to be on the right track, having already secured a position in the fourth round. However, besides what the fans think, the Serb himself applied a bar on his expectations in the ongoing event.

“My expectations are not very high, with the way I have been playing this year at the tournaments and also the results that I had in Monaco in previous years were not great, so I keep my expectations low,” he said in an interview with the Roland Garros press. Shedding light on his recent absence, the Serb clearly mentioned the fact that he requires some time to get back on track. “For some players like myself, it requires a little more time to reach the top level of tennis,” he added.

Novak Djokovic is currently looking forward to his upcoming showdown against Francisco Cerundolo. As Grigor Dimitrov is set to face the Serb’s dangerous rival Jannik Sinner, it could be a possibility that the Bulgarian makes it easier for him.