After a turbulent start to the 2022 season, Novak Djokovic appears to have finally gotten back on track in time for the French Open.
With a newly earned Italian Open trophy in hand, Djokovic arrives in Paris looking to defend his title and continue his reign at world No. 1.
It has been a staggering turnaround for Djokovic in the past month.
For much of the early part of the year, it was uncertain how much he would be able to play due to his very public unvaccinated status. Djokovic, who turns 35 on Sunday, arrived at the Australian Open in January and quickly found himself at the center of a global media storm and legal battle. Ultimately, his visa was revoked by the Australian government and he was deported before play got underway. He then watched as the Grand Slam title record was broken by Rafael Nadal in Melbourne, and in February, he was briefly supplanted atop the rankings by Daniil Medvedev.
Prior to April, Djokovic had played in just one tournament (a quarterfinal run in Dubai). But he was able to play in four tournaments during the European clay-court swing leading into the French Open, and has made significant progress on the court throughout. Last week he won his first title of the year in Rome, and he seems to be surging at just the right time. He will open play in Paris against Yoshihito Nishioka.
If you’d like a refresher on Djokovic’s chaotic year, here is a timeline of the events that led up to the present:
May 15, 2022: Djokovic wins his first title of 2022 at the Italian Open
Djokovic proved he had rediscovered his form on clay with a dominant performance in Rome, defeating top-10 players Casper Ruud and Felix Auger-Aliassime on his way to the final. He held off then-No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas, 6-0, 7-6 (5) in a rematch of the 2021 French Open title match.
Djokovic. Is. BACK 🙌@DjokerNole | @InteBNLdItalia | #IBI22 pic.twitter.com/HSSHQ4gh4l
— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 15,…
Source : espn
