Novak Djokovic Next Tournamnet: All you need to know about Serb's last tournament before French Open

Novak Djokovic's decision to withdraw from the Italian Open raised serious doubts about his form. The ATP star navigated through a turbulent phase lately, wherein he faced disappointing opening round exits at both Monte Carlo and Madrid. This seems to have prompted the Serb to pause and reconsider his situation ahead of the upcoming major event at Roland Garros.

Djokovic has endured a series of setbacks throughout the season. The Serb has been struggling to win a title after adding a gold medal to his glorious portfolio at the Paris Olympics in 2024. Although he came close to creating history by winning his 100th title in Miami, the unexpected defeat against Jakub Mensik dashed it down.

After his withdrawal from the Italian Open, Djokovic expressed his eagerness to come back stronger at the upcoming French Open. However, according to the latest update, the 23-time Grand Slam champion will participate in the ATP 250 event in Geneva. This turned out to be a strategy that worked for him in 2024, as he made it to the semifinal in Geneva, followed by his quarterfinal finish at Roland Garros.

The current season marks Novak Djokovic’s first without a title since 2017. He was hampered by a serious elbow injury back then, which forced him to withdraw from Wimbledon and end his season early. Currently on a break from competition, the Serbian star is expected to kick off his comeback in Geneva on May 18.

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Novak Djokovic indirectly accepts Roger Federer's ex-coach's suggestion

Novak Djokovic at the Mutua Madrid Open - Day Five - Source: Getty

Roger Federer's former coach, Paul Annacone, recently expressed concerns over Novak Djokovic's decision to skip the ongoing Masters 1000 event in Rome. The renowned mentor highlighted the need for Djokovic to maintain his rhythm by consistently competing in events to be ready to get a better hold of the clay courts. He also opened up about the only advice he would offer the Serb if he were coaching him.

“I was a little surprised that he did not play in Rome because no matter what you do in practice, you do need some match reps and he just hasn’t got to feel his way into a tournament. I would be asking him to play if I was coaching him. Even if he just gets a couple of matches in. It’s not like he needs to get familiar with Roland Garros. He has been there a thousand times," he said, in a recent episode of the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast.

By announcing his entry at the Geneva Open, Djokovic indirectly abided by the instructions offered by Annacone. He now aims to complete a major milestone in his career by winning the 100th tour-level title in Geneva. This is expected to be followed by the attempt to secure his 25th Grand Slam.