Djokovic: 'Nadal withdrawal is an opportunity for us in Monte Carlo'

*Djokovic - Gakhov: expected at 6:30 pm today, Hanoi time.

"Rafa's withdrawal is a great loss for the tournament and for tennis in general, because he is the greatest player of all time on clay," said Djokovic. "We all know he has won many times at Monte Carlo and other tournaments. But Nadal's absence also opens the door for the rest. When he is not there, we will try to win more titles. ".

Nadal will not attend the Monte Carlo Masters 2023 because he has not recovered from a hip injury. "King of clay" has won 11 times in Monte Carlo - the record of the tournament. He won 73 matches and lost six at the first clay-based Masters 1000 of the year. Besides Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz and Felix Auger-Aliassime also withdrew before the tournament for the same reason.

Djokovic will play his opening match at the Monte Carlo Masters today, against world number 198 Ivan Gakhov. Nole's opponent is left-handed, having just won two qualifying matches and a main round in his first appearance at a Masters 1000.

The match against Gakhov is Djokovic's first time playing since losing the semi-finals of the Dubai Championships to Daniil Medvedev on March 3. Last month, he was unable to attend the Masters 1000 hard courts at Indian Wells and Miami, because he was banned from entering the US because he did not have a vaccine passport. "I practice more on clay, which is a positive thing," Djokovic said. "I haven't had much success in the last two seasons in Monte Carlo, so hopefully this year I can start the clay season better than in previous years."

In 2021, Djokovic was eliminated in the third round by Daniel Evans. Last year, he lost to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the opening match. At that time, Nole was not in the best physical and mental state, after the shock of being banned from the Australian Open in early 2022.

Also in the interview before the tournament, Djokovic revealed the reason why he is the greatest tennis player in history, and still maintains his peak when he is about to turn 36. "My big motivation is that I always want to be better than I was yesterday," he said. "Therefore, I always try to improve every aspect of the game, because I always believe that there is something to improve." Djokovic also says that mindset motivates him and his team to see every tournament as a new challenge, and that approach has helped him achieve much in his career.

Djokovic also shared that he is in the best physical and mental state. "I like competition, I like to compete with anyone," added Djokovic. "The fire inside of me is still burning."

The Serbian tennis player was a two-time champion in Monte Carlo, Monaco, where he lives. "It's nice to sleep in my own bed," he said. "I feel at home when I play here. The atmosphere in Monte Carlo is great and it's always a successful tournament."

In the interview on April 10, Djokovic was also excited to watch the rise of the youth in recent years. He was particularly impressed with Carlos Alcaraz, and thinks the Spaniard along with Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune could be the new "Big 3" of tennis.