‘He’s Going to Suffer’- Novak Djokovic’s Worrisome Form Ahead of the 2023 French Open Receives Critical Scrutiny From Veteran Tennis Coach

Novak Djokovic isn’t going to play any part in this year’s Madrid Open. Rafael Nadal has also withdrawn from the tournament. As a result, there’s a lot of doubt going into the French Open for Djokovic and Nadal fans. Will the two tennis legends be fit in time for the showpiece event at the Stade Roland Garros? Or will injury force them to watch on from the sidelines?

In a recent podcast, renowned tennis coach Allan Van Nostrand gave his verdict on Djokovic’s chances of success at the French Open. He also spoke at length about the “fading invincibility” that the likes of Nadal and Djokovic are experiencing on the tennis court.

Novak Djokovic needs to be in peak physical and mental shape, says Van Nostrand

Allan Van Nostrand was the special guest on the latest episode of the ‘Holding Court with Patrick McEnroe’ podcast. At a particular point during the podcast, McEnroe quizzed Van Nostrand about Novak Djokovic. Djokovic’s recent form recently has been patchy at best. The Serb crashed out of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in the semifinals. He also suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Lorenzo Musetti in the Monte Carlo Masters’ round of 16.

According to Van Nostrand, “Number of matches always come into play when you want to win a tournament”. The veteran coach added, “You can maybe survive first, second rounds, but third, fourth rounds everybody is playing really good and the invincibility is fading. It’s just a natural progression.”

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Van Nostrand also said, “It’s up to Novak. Novak’s going to have to come physically and mentally ready.” Furthermore, the iconic coach talked about the mentality possessed by the likes of Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer. “They’re never ever surprised by anything that happens out there”. Nostrand also warned, “If Novak starts to lose command, I think he’s going to suffer in those quarterfinal and semifinal matches.”

Djokovic and Nadal’s race against time

Both Djokovic and Nadal [more so] are approaching the twilights of their respective careers. It would be a shame if both of them were to miss the 2023 French Open. However, the fact is that there’s still no certainty as to when they will be back playing tennis.

Djokovic’s medical team has so far remained tight-lipped regarding his injury. For Nadal, the hip flexor muscle injury he sustained at the 2023 Australian Open still seems to be plaguing him. He had initially hoped for an earlier comeback. Tennis fans around the world can only hope that the two win their race against time and make it to the Stade Roland Garros.

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