Novak Djokovic reached the semi-finals of Roland Garros on Wednesday despite a lesser preparation. The 24-time Grand Slam winner is happy to have regained his old level.
Djokovic recently won his hundredth ATP title in Geneva, Switzerland, but in the weeks before that he was struggling with his form. After a quick elimination in Madrid, he said he had to process a new reality. That was trying to win one or two matches.
At Roland Garros, the 38-year-old Djokovic also proved on Wednesday in the quarter-finals against Alexander Zverev that he is back at top level. The first set against the number three in the world was lost, but after that the Serb dominated the match. He won in four sets.
Djokovic acknowledges that he has come from afar. “Being eliminated early was something I hadn’t experienced in years. I had to find a way to get back to the Grand Slams. It’s no secret, but for me it’s mainly about the Grand Slams now.”
“I try to play my best tennis at these four tournaments and I have succeeded. This victory proves to myself and others that I can still play at the highest level. I thrive in these kinds of moments.”
Zverev: ‘Djokovic is underestimated’
Zverev was full of praise for Djokovic. “He played at a very high level. At one point I had a very hard time with it. I didn’t even know how to score a point from the baseline because he had a solution for everything.”
Djokovic sprinkled with dropshots and Zverev visibly had no answer to that. “I think Novak is a bit underestimated at the moment. Many people have already written him off, but this year he beat Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open and now me at Roland Garros.”
In the semi-finals, Djokovic faces a clash of the titans with world number one Jannik Sinner. The Serb says it will be a “big challenge” to beat the Italian. “I hope I can keep up with him physically.”
The match between Djokovic and Sinner is on Friday. The other semi-final is between defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and the Italian Lorenzo Musetti. The final of the Grand Slam tournament in Paris will be played on Sunday.