Novak Djokovic ‘the most disappointed’ player with Rafael Nadal’s Roland-Garros absence - Mats Wilander

Published 25/05/2023 at 12:17 GMT

Eurosport’s Mats Wilander believes Novak Djokovic will be the most disappointed player at Roland-Garros with Rafael Nadal’s absence. The 14-time champion will not return to Paris to defend his crown as Djokovic looks to edge the Spaniard for the record number of Grand Slam titles. “Novak would like to win his 23rd - his third French Open - by beating Rafa along the way,” he claimed.

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Novak Djokovic will be “the most disappointed” player with Rafael Nadal’s absence from the French Open, according to Eurosport expert Mats Wilander.

Nadal - a 14-time Roland-Garros champion - pulled out of the tournament last week due to a lack of fitness.

Wilander believes his absence will change the mindset of older players, especially Djokovic, who he believes would have wanted to face Nadal in his bid for a record-breaking 23rd major.

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“I think that in a way, you're disappointed maybe more than anything that you don't get to play Rafa somewhere,” he guessed. “And I would think for Novak Djokovic, he’s most probably the most disappointed player in the whole tournament.

“Because surely he would like to win his 23rd - his third French Open - by beating Rafa Nadal along the way."

Both Djokovic and Nadal have won 22 Grand Slam titles each in their respective careers, and a third French Open triumph for Djokovic would make him the most successful player of all time when it comes to major honours.

“It's such a big time in tennis right now in terms of the history of the game and the history of being the greatest ever,” Wilander continued. “And when we don't get Novak because of the Covid vaccine situation and now we don't get Rafa because of injury, the race is kind of weird in my mind.

“I mean, I've always said it. I hope in many ways that Rafa and Novak end up on the same number of Grand Slams, and then Roger Federer will be mentioned in the same sentence as the greatest ever anyway.”

Wilander went on to predict that without Nadal in Paris, Djokovic would no doubt go on to win the decisive major title that would separate him from the rest - on paper at least.

“I think definitely,” he responded when asked if Djokovic could be considered the greatest of all time with victory in France. “I mean, I think if we're counting the greatest just in terms of Grand Slam tournaments, then I'd say it's very possible that Novak is going to be the goat.

“And of course, if he wins in Paris in 20 days, he becomes the huge favourite to win Wimbledon. And of course, if he wins Wimbledon, suddenly he's got three majors in a row.

“Now we're talking about somebody who's so great and obviously is going to be the goat because he has another chance to win the calendar Grand Slam.”

Wilander tried to imagine how Djokovic would be feeling as he hunts down his record-breaking Grand Slam and admitted a feeling of jealousy towards the Serbian.

He also envisioned the possibility of Djokovic potentially overtaking Nadal’s majors total in the tournament the Spaniard has dominated for the last 20 years.

“The feeling that Novak has going into this year's French Open is a feeling that I think all of us ex-players, we are so jealous right now because of the confidence that he must have to have 22 Grand Slams,” he said.

“The unknown factor of, ‘Oh, can I win the French Open for the third time?’ But more importantly, ‘Can I be the greatest player of all time in 20 days?’

“I mean, that anticipation feeling must be so nice, so nerve-wracking in a way. Scary, but also such a confidence boost because we're not talking about Novak Djokovic, who's getting old.