After three tournament appearances and only five matches played, 2022 has involved an incredibly limited workload compared to Novak Djokovic 's usual standards.
The 34-year-old's ejection from the Australian Open draw coupled with several disappointing results have hardly served as the ideal preparation ahead of the French Open. Taking all that adversity into account, player-turned-pundit Alex Corretja has said Djokovic requires a "big effort" to contest in Paris.
The world No. 1 made his competitive 2022 debut at the Dubai Tennis Championships in February when he suffered a quarter-final defeat to Jiri Vesely. His clay season debut ended in tatters, meanwhile, after a second-round defeat to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the Monte-Carlo Masters.
His sour patch at least took a turn for the better on Wednesday after he won the opening match of his Serbia Open campaign in his native Belgrade. Djokovic came from behind to beat Laslo Djere 2-6, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (4), though his plays remains a lot more laboured than fans are used to.
"Novak, like everybody else, needs time," said Eurosport pundit Corretja. "He needs to be patient because he hasn't played for such a long time. And even if he was not injured, he’s [got a] lack of rhythm, he needs to play matches, he needs to be in those sorts of moments when you are break point down and you know how to serve in that moment.
"These situations when you don't play, you miss these moments when you have everything automatic - all of a sudden you need to think again." Corretja went on to specify that "physically he [Djokovic] needs to make a big effort," predicting the 20-time Grand Slam champion requires another "10 or 12 matches" ahead of Roland Garros.
This year's French Open isn't due to get underway until May 22, giving 'Nole' roughly one month to reach the necessary fitness levels. Not only does the reigning titleholder have a physical deficit to make up, but Corretja believes the mental toll of this year will have been great, too.
"We need to understand he's been through so much pressure in the last months for many issues and it's not easy for him to deal with all those situations," he continued. "And clay - even he is an unbelievable player on it - is not his natural surface."
Djokovic remains the second-favourite to retain his crown in Paris despite some miserable form of late. However, Rafael Nadal is the obvious front-runner after he recently began his comeback trail following a month off due to a rib injury.
The 13-time French Open champion is slated to return to play at the 2022 Madrid Open, which gets underway on April 26. A record-extending 14th title in Paris would also lift Nadal to 22 majors, two ahead of his Serb rival.
The Spaniard already added to his Grand Slam haul this year, capitalising on Djokovic's deportation when he came from behind to beat Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final. There began a wave of momentum that seemingly continues to move against Djokovic.
As far as the script suggests, the odds are stacked in Nadal's favour to make the most of Djokovic's dithering and add to his haul. However, Corretja believes the right preparation will still make the current No. 1 a major threat: "I'm sure that by the time Paris comes, Novak will be ready for that."
