Djokovic: 'Of course I am worried'

Novak Djokovic had a clear message about his 2024 Roland Garros hopes after a disappointing semi-final exit to Tomas Machac at the Gonet Geneva Open Friday: I’m not the favourite and I have a lot to work on.

After unexpectedly taking a wild card into the ATP 250 in the hopes of running himself into form ahead of his title defense in Paris, Djokovic leaves Switzerland with question marks hanging over his form and fitness after battling an upset stomach the past two days.

“Of course I am worried... I haven't been playing good at all this year,” Djokovic said when asked about his hopes of snapping his 2024 title drought at Roland Garros.

“[I’ve had] some [good] matches here and there but it is what it is. You have to accept it. I don’t consider myself a favourite there. I’m going to take it match by match and see how far I can go.”

The 24-time major champion called the tournament doctor to the court during a medical timeout at the end of the first set. He then turned around the match by racing through a love set, only to fade in the third when the Czech won the last six games of the match.

Asked if his stomach issue was related to something he ate, Djokovic said, “It was a terrible feeling with stomach and health today… it was not a great night and today as well.

“But I don’t want to take anything away from his win, he deserved it. I don’t know what to think about this match to be honest. I want to forget about it and move on to Paris.”

Djokovic, who turned 37 on Wednesday when he became just the third player in the Open Era to reach 1,100 match wins, is a modest 14-6 on the year as he begins his quest for a fourth Roland Garros title, and his third in four years.

“It was good that I could come here and play more than one match. I played three,” Djokovic said. “I just need to feel better. It’s not enjoyment when you are suffering on the court feeling this way. You’re not able to focus on tennis when you have other stuff happening. I just hope I can be fit and ready and prepared for Roland Garros.”

With Djokovic defending 2,000 points in Paris, he must reach the semi-finals at Roland Garros just to have a chance to remain World No. 1 the Monday after the event. Jannik Sinner, who has just 45 points to defend in the French capital after his second-round defeat last year, will begin the tournament No. 1 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. A player must be No. 1 in the 52-week PIF ATP Rankings to be declared a World No. 1.

Djokovic will begin his 20th Roland Garros campaign against Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert in just their second Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, and first since 2013. He is seeded to meet Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals. The Norwegian defeated Djokovic at the beginning of the clay swing at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.