LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic will begin his French Open quest feeling “invincible” on Monday, according to former world number one Boris Becker.
The 23-year-old Serb has Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker in his sights in the first round on Court Philippe Chatrier when a 38th consecutive victory since the beginning of the year
looks a formality.
“He will be feeling invincible at the moment,” former world number one and six-times grand slam champion Becker told Reuters in an interview on the eve of the French Open.
“It’s pretty incredible what Novak has achieved since the start of the year.
“I don’t see massive changes in his game but mentally he has so much belief in what he is doing now that when he gets in a tight match he pulls through as we saw in Rome when he was down and in trouble against Andy Murray.”
Becker, who was at a west London tennis centre training ball kids for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at the end of the year, recalled a similar run that he enjoyed during his glittering career.
“I think the best run I had was something like 20 matches during the indoor season,” said Becker, who won the last of his grand slam titles at the 1996 Australian Open.
“I won three indoors in a row and then reached the final of the next one. You get into such a rhythm and the same situations start to repeat themselves and you know that you came through it one the previous occasion.
“The other thing is that it changes the psychology of the players opposing you. They already have doubts when they walk on to the court and that’s a huge thing in your favour.
“Having that is like having another shot in your locker.”
Becker still tips Rafa Nadal to win this year’s French Open and equal Bjorn Borg’s record of six titles.
“For Nadal it’s the easiest one to win because of his game, it’s impossible for him to lose against most players,” Becker, whose best showing on the Parisian clay was three semi-finals, said.
“The slams on faster courts are more dangerous because some guy comes out and serves huge and you can lose to amyone.”
Djokovic is closing in on John McEnroe’s record 42-match streak at the start of the 1984 season and should he win his first French Open title would become the new world No.1.
The 23-year-old Serb has Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker in his sights in the first round on Court Philippe Chatrier when a 38th consecutive victory since the beginning of the year
looks a formality.
“He will be feeling invincible at the moment,” former world number one and six-times grand slam champion Becker told Reuters in an interview on the eve of the French Open.
“It’s pretty incredible what Novak has achieved since the start of the year.
“I don’t see massive changes in his game but mentally he has so much belief in what he is doing now that when he gets in a tight match he pulls through as we saw in Rome when he was down and in trouble against Andy Murray.”
Becker, who was at a west London tennis centre training ball kids for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at the end of the year, recalled a similar run that he enjoyed during his glittering career.
“I think the best run I had was something like 20 matches during the indoor season,” said Becker, who won the last of his grand slam titles at the 1996 Australian Open.
“I won three indoors in a row and then reached the final of the next one. You get into such a rhythm and the same situations start to repeat themselves and you know that you came through it one the previous occasion.
“The other thing is that it changes the psychology of the players opposing you. They already have doubts when they walk on to the court and that’s a huge thing in your favour.
“Having that is like having another shot in your locker.”
Becker still tips Rafa Nadal to win this year’s French Open and equal Bjorn Borg’s record of six titles.
“For Nadal it’s the easiest one to win because of his game, it’s impossible for him to lose against most players,” Becker, whose best showing on the Parisian clay was three semi-finals, said.
“The slams on faster courts are more dangerous because some guy comes out and serves huge and you can lose to amyone.”
Djokovic is closing in on John McEnroe’s record 42-match streak at the start of the 1984 season and should he win his first French Open title would become the new world No.1.
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