WATCH: Novak Djokovic hits with a familiar foe and a rising star as he ramps up Monte Carlo preparations
Novak Djokovic has enjoyed hitting practice with Aslan Karatsev and Jannik Sinner on the clay of Monte Carlo ahead of the Masters 1000 event next week.
The world number one has only played one tournament so far this year, at the Dubai Open in February, where he won two matches before losing to eventual finalist Jiri Vesely.
Djokovic then missed the ‘Sunshine Double’ of Indian Wells and Miami as he could not enter the US due to his unvaccinated status.
Instead the Serb has been practising in Europe and, more recently, on the clay at the Monte Carlo Country Club ahead of the event beginning 10th April.
The tournament posted video of Djokovic hitting with world number 31 Karatsev to its Instagram, the two-time opponents going at it from the baseline.
The two men played at the Australian Open and Serbia Open last year, with Djokovic winning in Melbourne and Karatsev on the clay in Belgrade in an epic semi-final match.
Djokovic was later shown in a rally exchange with 20-year-old world number 12 Jannik Sinner, a man he faced at last year’s Monte Carlo Masters, the 34-year-old winning in straight sets.
Djokovic has twice won the Monte Carlo Masters, in 2013 and 2015, but has not reached a final since.
Meanwhile, defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas will be among those looking to get their clay season up and running in positive fashion at the 1000 level event.
Other top entrants include world number three Alexander Zverev, 2021 finalist Andrey Rublev, Miami Open finalist Casper Ruud and, perhaps most excitingly, newly-crowned Miami Open champion and Monte Carlo debutant Carlos Alcaraz.
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