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French Open Contenders: Novak Djokovic could complete career slam

By Geoff Nichols

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French Open Contenders: Novak Djokovic could complete career slam

Novak Djokovic is the favourite for the 2015 French Open title. It might seem baffling to make this assertion about a player who has never lifted the trophy when in the field is a man who has won it on no less than 9 occasions, but such is the dominance of the world number 1, it is hard to contest.

The Serbian star has been is almost impossible form at the start of 2015 and any questions of the so called Djokovic era coming to a close has been emphatically put to bed. He is so dominant on hard courts and the worrying thing for the rest of the tour is that this belief is carrying over onto the clay.

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He strolled the the Monte Carlo Masters title a little too easily, saving one big effort for the final against Thomas Berdych who did managed to test him. It represented a clinical sweep of every big event so far this year and it feels entirely deserved.

My attention was grabbed in the Australian Final where Djokovic looked to be in such physical distress that his match was over. Yet his match and season was firmly back on course only a few minutes later and since then his focus and been unwavering.

His hunger is not in question. The French Open is the title that lays between him and the career Grand Slam that truly marks out a player as an all-time great. I think he will have his eye on Nadal’s major tally and by winning the French he is also limited the Spaniard’s Grand Slam haul.

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The current demise of Nadal will give a lot of players more hope heading into Roland Garros, but none more so than Djokovic, who is certainly the second best player on clay on tour. Even if Nadal can get back to close to his usual level, I would still expect the Serb to seriously test him.

It is hard to think what could prevent Djokovic from his date with destiny. As you read down the ATP rankings, there aren’t a host of names that you can pick out who can challenge him over five sets on clay. It is important to consider that a slower surface only means Djokovic will get more balls back in play.

Djokovic is not unbeatable. Nobody is. How close he comes to this is what has been so outstanding in recent years. Perhaps the hardest thing to contend with for Djokovic won’t be Nadal, but the pressure that comes with completing a life ambition of a Career Grand Slam.

French Open Chances: 8 out of 10

Next: What can Rafael Nadal achieve on the clay?

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