Novak Djokovic has revealed he is feeling good physically before his opening-round match against Argentina’s Tomás Martín Etcheverry in the Italian Open. Djokovic recently missed action on the tour due to a elbow injury but he is now ready to go once again.
The Serb has savored great success while playing in Rome as he is a six-time champion. Furthermore, he has finished as the runners-up on six occasions at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
The top-ranked Serbian will be looking to hit the ground running in Italy’s capital before the all-important Roland Garros, which starts in Paris from May 2.
“It’s all good. It’s all good. I mean, there [are] always some things here and there that bother you on this level. It’s normal. Also when you’re not 25 anymore, I guess you experience that a bit more than what used to be the case. It takes a little bit more time I guess to recover,” Djokovic said in an interview with ATP Tour.
“But I feel good. I miss the competition. I love playing in Rome. Historically throughout my career, Rome has always been a very nice tournament for me, had plenty of success, won it many times. Played also quite a few times in [the] final.”
Meanwhile, the 22-time Grand Slam champion admitted that he takes more time to adjust to clay as compared to other surfaces. The 35-year-old added that every bounce on the clay court is different and the wind also makes it difficult for the players.
“It’s the movement. Every bounce more or less is different. It’s such an irregular-bounce surface. You have wind. You have clay, a surface that is alive basically. Let’s call it this way. Like grass in a way,” Djokovic said.
“On clay, if you have a windy day, wind takes out the top layer of the surface, and it affects the bounce, it affects the spin of the ball, the speed of the court. Of course, if it rains or something like this, the conditions are different every single day, then it affects whether the clay is softer or harder.
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