The attraction of Novak Djokovic’s friend from Italian Open of next week should be a huge concern for Grand Slam fans 24 times as he goes to French Open without winning a match in Clay this season, said former Roland Garros winner Jim Courier.

JudiciaryWho returns 38 to three days before the second Grand Slam of the year began on May 25, was miserable out of shape and beaten comprehensive in his opening matches on Masters’ tournaments in Monte Carlo and Madrid this month.

The Serb was expected to start his Argila campaign in Rome before returning to Paris, where he won the Olympic gold last year, but on Tuesday, he said he was going through the Masters 1000 event, without giving a reason.

“This is worrying. It is worrying to me as a Novak fan,” Courier, who won back-back titles Roland Garros in 1991 and 1992, said in the tennis channel.

The American added that Rome would have been the perfect place for Gjokovic to find his rhythm as he had Paris -like conditions without the challenge of playing in Madrid.

“If you play a between Madrid and Rome (then) Rome would be what you would like to play to prepare for Roland Garros,” He said.

Gjokovic, who is following a 100th tournament title and first since his triumph of the ATP finals in 2023, said after losing to Madrid that he was trying to agree with a “new reality” in tennis, where he is simply “trying to win a match or two”.

“I don’t know what to do it, but I don’t like the way you feel in the gut,” Added Courier.

“It’s a very strange thing to announce a pull now, well in front of it, and we’ll see what it all means when we reach Roland Garros.”