Djokovic: 'Clay Most Challenging Surface To Adapt'

Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour

Lacking match play and lacing up for his first clay-court contest of the season, Novak Djokovic wasn't surprised that his first ATP Masters 1000 outing of the year wasn't all smooth sailing.

Playing his first match in five weeks, and his first in Monte-Carlo since last year’s early upset to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the World No. 1 kicked off his Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters title quest with a 7-6(5), 6-2 second-round victory against qualifier Ivan Gakhov. The Serbian has won 16 of 17 matches this year, but still had moments of uncertainty against the left-handed World No. 198.

“Match play is what I need,” Djokovic said in his post-match press conference. “Practice points is something that helps, but nothing helps as [much as] playing an official match. So that's why I'm hoping I can have as many matches as possible this week.

“I'm really glad I overcame the first step, because I hope things will be better and easier from this point onwards.”

Despite being a two-time champion in the Principality and holding 18 tour-level titles on clay, the World No. 1 stated that this time of year always brings a fresh test.

“Clay surface for me is the most challenging surface to adapt, to get into rhythm,” Djokovic said. “Maybe for some other guys it's more natural, the movement, the ball striking, in a way finding the right tempo on the shots. For me, it just takes more than some other guys. That's how it is, how it always was.”

Not only was Tuesday’s second-round match a challenge with the adjustment to clay, but Djokovic also encountered an opponent he hadn’t played before. The lefty Gakhov, who is World No. 198, left a strong impression on the 22-time major champion.

“I'm glad to start a clay season with a win against [an] opponent I didn't know much about prior to today,” Djokovic said. “I actually watched a little bit of his video from the first-round win he had yesterday. That's it.

“I knew he was a left-handed player, and I haven't actually practised with left-handed players for a few weeks. So it took some adjustment to return the serve and to deal with the heavy topspin from his forehand. Very good player. I heard he has been training and living in Spain for quite a long time, so I can see why he's been successful on clay.”

Pursuing a record-extending 39th ATP Masters 1000 crown this week, Djokovic will next meet Lorenzo Musetti or Luca Nardi.