PARIS: Novak Djokovic enters the French Open chasing a historic 25th Grand Slam title, but injury concerns and a stop-start season have raised questions over his readiness for Roland Garros.
The 38-year-old has played limited tennis since his Australian Open final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in February, as he continues to manage a recurring shoulder problem.
Djokovic suffered an early exit against Dino Prizmic at the Italian Open earlier this month and later withdrew from the Geneva Open, where he was the defending champion, leaving him with little clay-court preparation ahead of the tournament starting Sunday.
“It’s not ideal,” Djokovic admitted.
“I can’t remember the last few years without some kind of physical issue before a major tournament. There’s always something, and it’s a new reality for me.”
The Serbian star, who will celebrate his 39th birthday during the tournament, acknowledged the physical toll of a career spanning more than 20 years but stressed that he remains motivated to compete at the top level.
