He is the defending champion, world number 1 and certainly most people's favorite to win. But while that's all true, it's also fair to say that Novak Djokovic enters this year's French Open with more question marks than he has for many years. This was not lost on him, because after last week's painful defeat against little-known Czech player Tomas Machac, his sixth defeat of the year, he admitted that he was 'worried'.
The only reason the 24-time Grand Slam winner played in Geneva was because he was looking for form and he left with even more doubts. He said after his shock defeat last week that he has no confidence.
“Of course I'm worried,” said Djokovic, who had taken the uncharacteristic step of asking for a wildcard to Geneva after an even more surprising third-round loss to Rome. That was against Alejandro Tabilo, a Canadian who plays under the Chilean flag.
“I haven't played well at all this year, apart from a few games here and there. I don't see myself as a favorite in Paris.
“I didn't have a great evening… It's not nice to have to suffer like that on the field. It's hard to concentrate on tennis when you have other things on your mind. I just hope I'm ready and in good health for Roland Garros.”
All in all, it doesn't sound like the most exciting “let's get started” speech. In fact, it's more of a 'if I win, I win, if I lose, I lose' lame self-remark, and that's not what you associate with the Serb.
To reinforce the feeling that something is changing in the men's game, Nadal lost for the first time in the first round yesterday. His defeat to Alexander Zverev didn't come as a complete shock (he, like Djokovic, was out of form), but it does add to the sense of changing of the guard that Djokovic will be desperate to avoid tonight when he comes against local favorite Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
Stay here to find out if the defending champions can find their mojo and avoid a shocking defeat.