Novak Djokovic’s Deportation Controversy Flashes Back for Mats Wilander After a Dismal Lead up to French Open

Novak Djokovic is currently sailing his boat on unpredictable waters. Despite keeping a lightweight schedule throughout the season, the Serb still hasn’t been able to secure a single title in 2024. While everyone has a different narrative to justify his situation, former Swedish tennis star Mats Wilander believes that all of this is because of his not being able to seek stability.

In a recent interview, amid Novak Djokovic’s preparations for his opening match at Roland Garros, Wilander came forward to highlight the possible reason behind the Serb’s off-track journey. “Well, it’s a difficult preparation for Novak Djokovic, because he hasn’t played that many matches,” he said.

Nole’s current situation reminded the former pro of the time when he was deported because of not being vaccinated. “Remember when he wasn’t allowed to come to the Australian Open because of the Covid vaccinations, it gave him three or four months off the Tour. So he was rested once he started playing again. With someone as good as he is, as experienced as he is, he knows how to play three out of five sets,” the 59-year-old added.

While not quite the same situation, the Serbian has had some practice in Geneva without the pressures of big tournaments. It’s not complete rest but might just work in Djoker’s favor in Paris.

Besides drawing Djokovic’s current situation parallel to that of the time when he had to miss events because of his vaccination status, Wilander stayed optimistic about his fate. “He knows that he can win Roland-Garros every single time he plays. And now he is more fresh than if he would have played well in the three lead-up tournaments to Roland-Garros. So I wouldn’t be worried at all. The first round and second round could be tricky for Novak because he hasn’t played that much,” Wilander said.

It has been a while since Novak Djokovic was seen extending his run in any of the events. Along with missing out on crucial tournaments like the Miami and Madrid Open, the Serb failed to secure a notable position in Rome as well. While he is expected to be more focused on his run for the French Open title, the possibility of being stable in Paris seems to be higher.

Novak Djokovic worried about his current form

It isn’t just the fans who are deprived of a confident assurance about Novak Djokovic’s ability to compensate for the slow pace of this season. The Serb himself seems to be lacking confidence about the current situation. In a recent interview, the three-time Roland Garros champion showed concerns about his form, mentioning that he is worried.

“Of course, I am worried. I haven’t been playing good at all this year,” Nole admitted, drawing an honest analysis from his diminishing performance graph. He also lacked conviction as he saved himself from giving any expectations about the ongoing clay-court major. “I don’t consider myself a favourite there,” the Serb highlighted.

The fans already had enough concerns about Novak Djokovic’s scope at the Roland Garros. While he’s no Rafael Nadal on clay, Djokovic is the World No. 1 and three-time winner here. Is 2024 the year for a fourth title?