By Chris Oddo | Thursday May 19, 2016
Is there such a thing as a good loss? Novak Djokovic hopes to answer yes in Paris.
Photo Source: AP
Is there such a thing as a good loss? In Novak Djokovic’s case—maybe. The Serb has struggled more than usual this spring (by his own otherworldly standards), losing early at Monte-Carlo and again in the final at Rome, but the world No. 1 nonetheless heads into the French Open as the clear favorite to win his first Roland Garros title.
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This despite the fact that he hasn’t looked as dominant as usual in the last few weeks. In fact, he’s looked a little stressed. And who could blame him?
Seven-time French Open champion (and holder of the longest single-surface winning streak of all-time) Chris Evert thinks that Djokovic might actually benefit from his losses rather than be haunted by them as he prepares to make his 12th appearance in la Ville Lumière.
In other words, maybe getting stressed out in Rome will pave the way for a more Zen-like Djokovic to emerge victorious in Paris.
“I think Djokovic's loss [in Rome] is a blessing in disguise for him because this guy has won so much in the last year and a half, two years that the pressure is off,” Evert said during an ESPN call on Wednesday.
Djokovic appeared to be buckling under the weight of his own expectations in Rome last weekend as he displayed ill temper, played loosely and had several confrontations with umpires during the weekend. Evert says it might be good for the world No. 1 to step back and “breathe” a bit.
“I think he was a little testy during Rome, and he was a little antsy, and I don't know if it's because he's starting to feel the pressure or the year just caught up with him so far, because it's still been pretty intense. He's played a lot. I think some pressure will be off, and hopefully he went back and he's just not playing at all for a couple days and just chilling, because he still needs to be fresh. I mean… he trains so hard, so intensely… and it's just hard emotionally and mentally to be always 100 percent winning, and at some point you need a little release and you need a little relief, and that's exactly what he got last week. This to me won't hurt him at all; it will only help him.”
After coming into Roland Garros with a 43-match winning streak in 2011 and losing in the semifinals to Roger Federer, Djokovic has tried to plan his clay-court seasons very meticulously with the goal of winning the French front and center in his mind. Last year as the clear favorite he finally defeated Nadal on the Terre Battue, but ended up falling to Stan Wawrinka in the final after being forced to five sets by Andy Murray in the semis.
It was a difficult draw and it took its toll on the Serb, which is why the tennis world will be watching Friday’s draw ceremony with baited breath.
Whether or not Djokovic’s losses this spring will end up hurting him or helping him at Roland Garros, one thing is for certain: they won’t be remembered. Djokovic’s clay season, and his 2016 for that matter, is about producing the long awaited triumph at the French.
“To me whether or not he won Rome or lost Rome or Monte-Carlo, any of those don't matter; he's judged on Paris,” said ESPN’s Brad Gilbert.
As far as pressure goes, Gilbert doesn’t buy the notion that a few losses will take the heat off of Djokovic.
“The pressure is not off,” he said.
Clearly Gilbert is correct in that assumption, but Evert’s assessment of Djokovic’s current psychological situation makes a lot of sense as well.
The 18-time major champion, who knows a thing or two about coming into a Slam on a winning streak, says that at times in her career a loss was a welcome depressurizer.
“When I was No. 1, and there were times when I won four or five tournaments in a row, and then I felt the pressure build and build, and then I had a loss, I was almost relieved when I lost,” she said. “And that really did help me. It really did help me just to relax a little bit more and regroup and set new goals after having a week or two off.”
Will Djokovic one day tell the story of how a disappointing performance in Rome was the perfect tonic for a colossal breakthrough in Paris? Five years ago the world was waiting for—almost expecting--the Serb to win and take his place among tennis’s clay-court greats in Paris, and five years later it still hasn’t happened yet. Djokovic will turn 29 next week and his chances to win in Paris can likely be counted on one hand now. If he can’t get it this year, then when?
“I mean, as great as he is and as dominant as he is, it's not going to get easier every year,” ESPN’s Patrick McEnroe adds. “He's clearly No. 1, but he's clearly in his late 20s, and there's no sign that he's slowing down, but I don't think it's going to get easier for him to win the French. I think there's got to be that sense of urgency that he needs to get over the line.”