“For Djokovic, the important thing is keeping that top four ranking to give himself a shot at Wimbledon” : Greg Rusedski
Former British world number one ranked player Greg Rusedski believes that Novak Djokovic’s ranking could play a major factor in whether he is able to win his 25th Grand Slam title. This comes on the back of his withdrawal from another Master’s tournament, as the clay court tournament gets underway.
After withdrawing from Miami, Novak Djokovic also announced his withdrawal from the Monte Carlo Masters which started earlier this year. Greg Rusedski believes for Novak Djokovic to have deep runs, or have a chance of winning another Major title, he will need to compete regularly on the tour.
The Briton stated that the challenge is already very tough for players, as they have to go through both Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz to win major titles. However, if the Serb decides to continue skipping tournaments, his ranking will dip further, which means he will have to face the likes of Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev in the earlier rounds.
“I think either Madrid or Rome will be his first week and then he will get ready for Roland Garros. It’s not about ranking points. It’s about where he’s seeded. He does need points to be in the top four.To win a major these days, you gotta usually go through Alcaraz and Sinner. Then imagine if he drops out of the top four, he might have to play [Alexander] Zverev. So for him, the important thing is keeping that top four ranking to give himself a shot at Wimbledon,” said Rusedski.
Novak Djokovic withdraws from Monte Carlo Masters
Novak Djokovic has announced his withdrawal from the Monte Carlo Masters, as he keeps fans guessing about his next tournament. The Serb is expected to make a return later in the cay court season, potentially returning for the Madrid Masters, or Italian Open.
Novak Djokovic will not stretch himself too much for the French Open giving Alcaraz and Sinner are the clear favorites. However, he will have his sights clear on the Wimbledon Championships, where he has managed to reach the finals in 2023, and 2024, losing to Carlos Alcaraz on both occasions.
