By Chris Oddo | Sunday, April 13, 2014

 

Speaking to reporters ahead of next week's Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Novak Djokovic says he'll take the clay-court season one event at a time.

Photo Source: AP

World No. 2 Novak Djokovic talked to reporters ahead of this week's Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Sunday, saying that fixating on winning the Roland Garros title in 2013 took its toll on him.

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“Last year it was more in my mind,” Djokovic said. "I was more in my thoughts constantly about Roland Garros than this year. I'm not saying it's good or bad. It doesn't mean that this year I don't want to win it. Of course I want to put all my effort into Roland Garros, but when the time comes."

Djokovic seemed to be hinting that the pressure he put on himself to complete his career Grand Slam and snatch the Coupe des Mousquetaires from his archrival Rafael Nadal hurt his focus in the lead-up to Roland Garros.

“Right now I want to dedicate my attention to Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome,” he said. “Last year I put a lot of energy—mental, physical, emotional—into winning [the French Open] title. It didn't help much for winning the tournaments that were prior to that like Madrid and Rome. I have a different kind of approach this year.”

Djokovic, who has won the last four Masters 1000 titles, including last month's Indian Wells-Miami double, says that he's feeling good about his game after reeling off ten consecutive victories in a row.

“Confidence is a kind of a state of mind that every athlete in the world wants to be in,” Djokovic said. “It's easier to lose it than to gain it. Right now I do have confidence. Being able to win Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back in finals against Roger and Rafa is something that definitely gives me a confidence boost, and hopefully I can use that in the continuation of the season.”

Though Djokovic would not mind regaining the No. 1 ranking from Nadal, the six-time Grand Slam champion says it is not what gets him out of  bed in the morning.

“Of course getting back to No. 1 in the world is one of the motivations, but not the only source," he said. "Motivation comes from my love and passion to play the sport.”

And while it's never easy to face the king of clay Rafael Nadal, Djokovic says that he'll continue relish meetings with the indomitable Spaniard, because even though he takes his lumps, he always emerges from their battles a better person and a better player.

“The positive fact about our rivalry is that we make each other improve and we make each other think always about what we have to do better in order to win next time or in order to get better as a player," he told reporters. "The cycle of winning streaks from my side and his side shows that there has been kind of a progress for both of us. I've played forty times with Rafa so that's the biggest rivalry that I have in my career—that's for sure.”

Djokovic will begin his Monte-Carlo title defense with a second-round match with either Benoit Paire of France or Albert Montanes of Spain. He could face Roger Federer in the semifinals.