Novak Djokovic got his Indian Wells campaign underway last night, but struggled through his opening-round match.
He defeated Kamil Majchrzak, but had to do it coming from behind after an error-strewn first set gifted his opponent the lead.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion unsurprisingly rallied back, and spoke after about the challenges of the tennis tour.
Interestingly, one reporter sought to get his views on best-of-five-set tennis specifically, with the WTA Tour having been tipped to adapt this format in the coming years.
Novak Djokovic had his say.
Novak Djokovic discusses best-of-five-set tennis
Asked to explain the struggles of five-set matches, he began by jokingly stating: “I don’t recommend (smiling).”
Djokovic then went on to claim: “It feels like when you’re preparing for a Grand Slam, you play best-of-five for us, it feels like you’re preparing for something completely different, completely different tour, different physical preparation and mental preparation.
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“Because some matches can go, you know, three, four, five, six hours. And I have played, you know, longest Grand Slam final in the history. I was part of that with Nadal in 2012, went almost six hours in Australia.
“So just gruelling. I mean, incredibly gruelling and demanding, and I played recently with Jannik, I don’t know what it was, almost, whatever it was, four-and-a-half, almost five hours in Australia.
“I mean, back in 2012, my body has recovered much faster than what is the case today after such a marathon, long matches. Yes, you do have a day between matches in Grand Slams, but when you have a match like that, that is, you know, four-, five-plus hours, it’s just taking a big toll on your physical condition. Very hard to recover and be able to, I guess, be ready for the next challenge.
“You might play well the next match, but then the longer you progress in the tournament, the physically more exhausted you are. That’s the big one. Obviously mentally, as well, of course. But physically, it’s a whole different animal, so to say, that you’re facing in Grand Slams compared to anything else that we have on the tour.”
Given Paula Badosa exclusively told Tennishead that she thought women were ready for best-of-five matches, it will be interesting to see whether this monumental change is brought into place anytime soon, with Craig Tiley keen to make it happen.
The worst possible start for Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells
Given how meticulous Djokovic now is with his schedule, starting Indian Wells in this fashion will not have been part of his plan.
After all, such a gruelling three-set clash in his very first match will certainly not aid his recovery, or his chances of winning the title.
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The Serbian superstar is so selective with what tournament he plays, all in an effort to preserve his body and hopefully challenge for the titles that matter to him.
So, undoing all that intelligent scheduling with a tough first-round match is likely to frustrate him, marking the worst possible start to his Indian Wells campaign.
