Djokovic does not expect much from the clay season

"My goal for the clay season is to prepare as best as possible for Roland Garros," Djokovic said on April 7 in an interview ahead of the Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo. "I want to strengthen my game and go to Roland Garros in the best possible form, everything else is secondary."

Djokovic lives in Monte Carlo, where he raised his two children and considers it his second home. He has won the tournament twice but has struggled in recent years. "I consider Monte Carlo my home ground because I know the people here," Djokovic said. "This surface is always the most demanding and it takes a lot of time to get to the level of play I want. I will definitely give my all here, but the result at Roland Garros is not important."

Djokovic has not played well since the beginning of the year, losing at the Australian Open and losing early at Indian Wells. He also skipped two previously scheduled events, the Dubai Championships and the Miami Open. One of Nole's problems at the moment is that he does not have a new coach, after parting ways with Goran Ivanisevic.

"It was time for a change," Djokovic explained his decision to end his partnership with Ivanisevic last week. "We both felt we had given our all to this relationship. He's still my friend, my family's friend. He's a big influence in the sport."

Djokovic has been training with compatriot Nenad Zimonjic in recent weeks. The former Serbia Davis Cup captain is expected to replace Ivanisevic during the clay-court season. Djokovic has not made an official decision, but sees Zimonjic as a mentor in the team. "I've known Zimonjic since I was young, when he was my captain. We also won the ATP Cup together in 2020. I like the way he sees tennis. He's like my mentor, my brother," he said.

Djokovic has a bye in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters, which starts on April 7. He will likely play Roman Safiullin in the second round. In the third round, Nole could face Taylor Fritz or Lorenzo Musetti - who eliminated him in the third round last year. Djokovic's draw is considered difficult, as he could face defending champion Andrey Rublev or Stan Wawrinka or Alex De Minaur in the quarter-finals. Djokovic's biggest opponent in the semi-finals is Carlos Alcaraz.