Here comes Djokovic again.
Marked by his expulsion from Australia, world number 1 Novak Djokovic, kept away from the circuit, will challenge Frenchman Gaël Monfils (N.21) on Tuesday in the second round of the Masters 1000 in Madrid.
Practically at a standstill until April (three games in Dubai in February), the 34-year-old Serb has indeed put the machine back on the road since, with the return of the circuit to Europe.
If he is still in search of rhythm and in search of his best level, between Monte-Carlo (eliminated from the start by Alejandro Davidovich) and Belgrade (lost final against Andrey Rublev), he nevertheless played five games in two weeks, all in three sets.
Until then, the duels with Djokovic have never smiled on Monfils: in seventeen face-to-face meetings, the 35-year-old Frenchman has never won.
Even if, during the last to date, in February 2020 in Dubai, he led by a set and a break, then obtained three match points before being overthrown by the world N.1 (2 -6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-1).
“Quite stupidly, he is stronger than me”
"Honestly, he has more games than me, he has more pace," Monfils said, referring to recent weeks.
“Today is a match, but that doesn't tell me anything about where I really am.
Him, he has matches, he is gradually gaining strength, I see that he is playing better and better, so it will be complicated, ”he compares.
Between Djokovic and Monfils, only one match took place on clay.
It goes back sixteen years to Roland-Garros in 2006 (7-6, 7-6, 6-3 in the round of 16).
Does the world N.1 seem more accessible to him on ocher than on hard, his favorite surface?
“Frankly I don't think so,” replies the 2022 Australian Open quarter-finalist. “I feel better on hard.
And him too… "
“Earth or hard, it's the same: he has a way of playing that I don't like.
Simply.
He manages to find my weaknesses every time, ”he continues.
“Quite stupidly, he is stronger than me.
When someone is stronger than you, they are stronger than you.
You can beat him once, maybe twice, three times.
I never really succeeded.
But there are not many guys who have beaten Usain Bolt!