Djokovic’s Eye Trouble Continues as Clay Season Begins
Novak Djokovic is still battling an eye infection as he prepares to kick off his clay-court season at the Monte-Carlo Masters. The problem that hampered him in Miami hasn’t fully cleared up yet.
The 37-year-old Serbian came tantalizingly close to capturing his 100th career title at the Miami Open last week. He made it all the way to the final, only to be stopped by 19-year-old rising star Jakub Mensik.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novak Djokovic | 38 | 8,360 | 18 - 6 |
What many fans didn’t realize was that Djokovic was fighting more than just his opponent.
“It started on semi-finals day in Miami and I did struggle with it in the final,” Djokovic explained to TNT Sports. “It’s calming down, I guess. I’m visiting the doctor later today, so let’s see. It should be okay.”
Despite the ongoing issue, Djokovic decided to stick with his plans to play in Monte Carlo.
“I was going to be here with the family anyway. I wanted to give myself the best chance to play in the tournament,” he said. “I have a few more days until the eventual first round. I am still trying to get used to the clay; still managing a few things health-wise.”
The 24-time Grand Slam champion is keeping his expectations in check as he transitions to the slower clay surface.
Clay has always been a tricky adjustment for Djokovic at the start of each spring season. Last year’s semi-final appearance at Monte Carlo was actually his best result there since 2015.
“I’ve been struggling over the years to find the best game for the opening week of the clay,” he admitted. “I think I’m the kind of player that as I play more matches on this surface, I get better. The first weeks and first tournaments on clay are quite unpredictable.”
His Miami performance did end a concerning three-match losing streak, showing signs that his game is heading in the right direction.
But can that form translate to the red dirt?
“Let’s see if I can carry that onto clay. It’s obviously a completely different surface and I didn’t have much time to get used to this tournament, so my expectations are not really high for the results here.”
For Djokovic, Monte Carlo is just the first step in a longer journey.
“It’s more about trying to get matches and as many as possible, and obviously try to peak towards the end of the clay season which is, of course, most importantly in Paris.”
The two-time Monte Carlo champion will start his tournament in the second round, facing either veteran Stan Wawrinka or left-hander Alejandro Tabilo.
“Last year, I had a good tournament. I played the semi-finals. It was a close match in the semis,” Djokovic reflected. “Obviously, I will be very happy if I can repeat the same result as last year, but I will go step-by-step.”
