World No.1 Novak Djokovic has tipped Rafael Nadal as the most successful claycourt player of all time, the game has ever seen. Nadal, famously known as the king of clay, has a tremendous record on the surface. The veteran Spaniard has a 474-45 record on clay and he has won a total of 63 titles on the surface.
The Mallorca-born has won French Open on a record number of times – 14. Nadal is a machine on the court and he brings the best out of himself on clay.
Furthermore, Nadal has won Monte Carlo Masters on 11 occasions, the most by any player. Nadal decided to withdraw from the tournament due to an injury and in his absence, Djokovic feels it will be a good opportunity for others to clinch the title.
Novak Djokovic said in the pre-tournament presser, “Of course, in one way it’s a loss for the tournament and for tennis in general because he’s by far the most successful clay court tennis player of all time,” he said. “We know how many times he has won Monaco and all the other events we played. But on the other hand, it’s an opportunity, I think, for all of us others, when he’s not there to try to go far and grab a title.”
Meanwhile, Djokovic has won Monte Carlo Masters on two occasions. However, he had suffered two early exits in the previous two editions of the tournament, losing to Davidovich Fokina in the last season and Daniel Evans in 2021.
“The last couple of years I’m used to it, you know. I mean, I haven’t played America last year at all and then this year again. But it’s okay. You know, it is what it is. I did more training on clay, which is, of course, positive, if you think about the clay season,” Djokovic said.
The Serbian added he looks to win every tournament he plays, irrespective of the place and magnitude of the competition.
“Anywhere you go, any tournament you play, you want to win. I mean, at least that’ has been my mentality for many years. And I have won basically all the [big] tournaments so I always have that kind of in the back of my mind, approaching the tournament again, knowing that I have done it, why not to think that I can do it again,” Djokovic said.
Novak Djokovic will face Ivan Gakhov on Tuesday.
