Novak Djokovic told his latest decision could hurt Wimbledon chances

Why Djokovic’s tournament plans could impact his performances at Roland Garros and Wimbledon

Novak Djokovic hasn’t played since losing to Jack Draper in the fourth round of Indian Wells. Although he was set to appear at both the Miami Open and Monte Carlo Masters, he ended up withdrawing from both events.

At this point in his career, Djokovic is clearly focused on Grand Slam tournaments. But Greg Rusedski has raised concerns that his current approach might hurt his chances in the upcoming majors.

Rusedski explains why Djokovic’s ranking is still important

Rusedski, speaking again on his Off Court with Greg Rusedski podcast, reinforced his previous point that Wimbledon gives Djokovic the best chance to win a 25th major.

Currently sitting fourth in the world rankings behind Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Alexander Zverev, Rusedski believes maintaining a top-four seeding is crucial for Djokovic’s chances at majors like Wimbledon.

“I think either Madrid or Rome will be his first week, week off and then get ready to Roland Garros,” said Rusedski. “It also depends, if the weather is like this then it suits Djokovic.”

“You’ve got to remember, it’s not about points, it’s about where he is seeded. So he does need points to be in the top four. Because to win a major these days you’ve got to go through Alcaraz, Sinner and then imagine if he drops out of the top four, he might have to play Zverev, he might have to play somebody else earlier in the draw.

“So for him the important thing is to keep that top four ranking, to give himself a shot at Wimbledon. So there’s so many question marks. Never discount a great champion. Especially on grass. Roland Garros step too far in my opinion because of the physicality needed.”

Djokovic faces potential ranking drop ahead of Wimbledon

Novak Djokovic currently sits fourth in the ATP rankings with 4,720 points, just ahead of Lorenzo Musetti.

The Serb has 1,070 points to defend between now and the Wimbledon seeding cut-off, while Musetti has 2,250. Although it may be difficult for Musetti to close the gap, others like Felix Auger-Aliassime could take advantage.

Djokovic does have a narrow lead over players like Zverev, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur. The margin isn’t large enough to offer much comfort.

The Madrid Open is next up on Djokovic’s calendar, but it’s uncertain whether he’ll play. He’s only made one appearance at the event over the past four years.

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