Tennis expert Annabel Croft has found a silver lining in Novak Djokovic not playing much over the first three months as she thinks she enters the French Open fresher than the rest of the field. After playing in just one event in the first three months of the season, Djokovic was able to play the full schedule this clay season.
Djokovic has played two finals this clay season and he is coming off a Rome victory. Djokovic is now focused on defending his French Open title and Croft thinks the Serb is the top favorite for the title at Roland Garros.
“Novak has suddenly ignited over the last couple of weeks and that victory in Rome has given him that confidence and springboard for what is to come,” Croft told Tennis365. “The first three months of the year when he wasn’t able to compete (due to his refusal to take a Covid-19 vaccine) might help him because he is going to be a lot fresher than other players.
“I defiantly think he is the favourite heading into the French Open and Wimbledon”.
Croft: Djokovic deserves more respect for his success on grass
After the French Open, Djokovic will switch his focus onto the grass season.
Last year, Djokovic captured his third consecutive Wimbledon title and he now has six titles at The Championships. Croft feels Djokovic isn’t getting as much credit as he deserves for his success on grass. “We underestimate what an unbelievable grass court player he is sometimes,” Croft noted.
“In my day, I remember seeing Bjorn Borg dominating at Wimbledon and winning five titles, but Djokovic has won six. That is extraordinary. “He needs to be applauded a lot more than he is for his grass court career.
We think of some of the great players like John McEnroe and he won three times. Novak has doubled that and he has won three back-to-back. “I just feel he should be given a bit more credit for what he has achieved in the game”.
