Rafael Nadal is the undisputed king of clay. The Spaniard once again showed his class as he recently defeated the World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in three sets to claim his 10th Italian Open title.
With the French Open around the corner, Nadal after winning the Barcelona Open and Italian Open, the lefty is once again going to be a top favourite for the Roland Garros. Nadal already has won 13 French Open titles and he will be looking to clinch his 14th title.
However, Nadal’s coach Francis Roig believes Novak Djokovic could be a potential threat to his ward defending the slam title. Roig also feels next-gen players like Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, can also cause an upset for Nadal.
“Djokovic is still the rival, perhaps, who can cause more problems, along with Tsitsipas, Zverev, and Thiem. Of course, if Thiem regains the pace and confidence that he usually shows on gravel, I would say that I see no differences between him and Djokovic,” said Roig in the interview.
Meanwhile, Roig feels that Djokovic has dropped down a bit since he was disqualified from the US Open in 2020 however he is still going to be a major contender in the French Open.
“Since he won the US Open he has dropped a bit. But I am sure that for Roland Garros he will be at the necessary level and will be a very tough opponent,” added the coach.
Roig added that Djokovic is a complete player and he is one of the fittest players in the sport.
“He is a very complete player, who demands a lot in each hit. If you leave the ball a little short, the point is over. On a physical level it is very demanding,” concluded the 53-year-old.
