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The battle yesterday involving Djokovic and Djere was truly epic. In a Serb vs Serb contest, Djokovic emerged victorious in a match that lasted for 3 hours and 17 minutes. And in all honesty, there were various points in the match where I felt that Djokovic would lose. If he had, this would be the second tournament in a row where Djokovic had lost in his first match. But as things stand, he didn’t lose, and he is through to face Kecmanovic in the next round.
Putting the Belgrade draw aside and his potential to win the tournament, I’d like to focus on the specific match against Djere. After all, there were certain qualities that were put on display by Djokovic that I haven’t seen for many months. And I believe that they carry significance for Roland Garros 2022.
Why Was This Match So Significant for the French Open 2022?
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There are many tennis fans that felt the Djokovic loss in Monte Carlo was seriously worrying for his season and indeed – the French Open. Sure, I was worried after seeing that loss too, but this win against Djere has turned the tables. So without further ado, let me reveal why I believe this match is significant going forward:
Fighting Spirit
We all know that Novak Djokovic has a never say die attitude. But with that said, it’s perfectly normal for such a fire to start burning weaker as players move deeper into their careers. After watching Djokovic in Monte Carlo, he didn’t seem to have that drive and ambition to come through the game no matter what. But against Djere, the Djokovic fire that we have seen so many times was certainly burning with some serious strength.
After losing the first set 6-2, Djokovic flipped the match on its head. He battled back from a break down in the second to come through the next two sets 7-6, 7-6.
Finding a Way to Win
One of the key reasons that Djokovic has been so successful in his career is because he just seems to find ways to win. This is something we’ve witnessed with all of the greats, including Nadal, Federer, Murray, and many others. But in this particular game, there were so many times where you just felt another loss was on the cards. Yet in true Djokovic fashion, he just found ways to grind out big points, placing the ball in difficult parts of the court and going big when he had his chances.
Needless to say, finding a way to win is critical if he has a shot at winning the French Open.
Coming Through a Close Contest
The final thing I’d like to point out relates to his overall confidence on the court. Djokovic is very much a ‘confidence player’. This means that when he has it, he is extremely difficult to beat. And with so much time away from the tour, he hasn’t had the matches necessary to develop this confidence again. But having beaten Djere by 7-6 in the third set, I am sure this will do wonders for his belief.
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