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Arthur Fils defeated Novak Djokovic in a practice match ahead of the Italian Open. Djokovic is preparing for his first clay-court event of the season after a month-long absence.
Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images
Novak Djokovic appears ready to make his first clay-court appearance of the season after sitting out every event over the past month.
While there have been several valid reasons for his absence, itâs clear heâs prioritising his physical condition ahead of Roland Garros.
With Carlos Alcaraz sidelined by injury, Djokovicâs path to a record 25th Grand Slam title could be more open than ever.
However, skipping competitive matches on clay may still have an impact, despite how comfortable he is on the surface. That notion was reinforced by what happened during a recent practice session against Arthur Fils.
Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
While the Frenchman is a tough matchup on any surface, he has stood out in particular this season for his performances on clay.
He started the year with a win in Barcelona and made it to the semi-finals in Madrid. Thereâs no reason to think he canât put together another strong run in Rome.
Djokovic, wanting to measure himself against a rising talent, organised a practice set with the 21-year-old.
The result wasnât encouraging for Djokovic, with Fils winning 6-2.
After his recent loss to Jannik Sinner, Fils was told what areas he needed to work on. Getting court time against someone like Djokovic will only help him address those gaps.
There are two ways that Djokovicâs lack of tennis on clay can go.
On the one hand, the rest might be just what he needed, and whilst Rome might not result in a trophy, he could head to Paris completely refreshed and ready to attack for the title.
Arthur Fils beat Novak Djokovic in a practice match before the Italian Open.
Novak Djokovic has been prioritizing his physical condition, which led to his absence from events over the past month.
With Carlos Alcaraz sidelined by injury, Djokovic's path to a record 25th Grand Slam title may be more open than ever.
Salil Ankola, former cricketer, battles depression while reflecting on his career.
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After all, having played at the top level of the sport for over two decades, Djokovic knows how to play on clay. Thereâs little new he would have learned this year.
Alas, the nuances of this surface are obvious, and the transition remains tricky no matter how experienced a player is.
If his physical condition has been recharged during his break from competition, it may still take some time before he adapts to clay again. And if that happens in Rome, it would leave him short on match practice ahead of Roland Garros.
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