Sunday 26 May 2019 17:10, UK
Novak Djokovic insists Rafael Nadal is the man to beat at this week’s French Open – despite his own good form.
The 32-year-old won his second title of the year at the Madrid Open earlier this month and then reached the Italian Open final last weekend before losing to Nadal.
And although Nadal arrived in the Italian capital without silverware for the first time since 2004, Djokovic believes he is still the man to beat at Roland Garros.
"He's the main favourite to win the title," said the world number one. "I think it wouldn't be fair to pick anybody else because he has won this tournament so many times.
"He has lost, what, two times in his career on Parisian clay? So lots of respect for him, obviously, as always.
The pair cannot meet until the final, and the Spaniard's draw did nothing to dispel the feeling his name may well be on the cup once again, facing qualifier Yannick Hanfmann in the opening round.
Nadal initially struggled on clay having battled back from yet another knee problem in Indian Wells in March, losing successive matches to Fabio Fognini, Dominic Thiem and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
"I feel myself playing well and my goal is just to keep playing at that level," said Nadal.
"There are things always that I can improve, small things, and (we are) working on small things.
"But, in general terms, it's about being healthy and then just competing well and being fresh mentally and physically."
Roger Federer also returns to Roland Garros for the first time since 2015 and a decade after he completed the career Grand Slam by winning his only trophy there.
The 37-year-old skipped the entire clay-court circuit each of the last two years, before finally coming back this season and reaching the quarter-finals in Madrid and Rome, where he withdrew, citing an injured right leg.
But Federer insists he is raring to go as he gets set to open his challenge against Italian Lorenzo Sonego tomorrow afternoon.
"In practice in Switzerland, I felt good right away," Federer said.
"Very happy where I'm at, to be quite honest. I was a bit surprised that it went as easy as it did."
