Dubai Telegraph - 'It's been difficult for me,' admits Djokovic ahead of Monte Carlo return

EUR -
AED 3.804709
AFN 77.173939
ALL 98.583483
AMD 410.170979
ANG 1.869121
AOA 946.266488
ARS 1091.696847
AUD 1.652874
AWG 1.867189
AZN 1.75698
BAM 1.947609
BBD 2.093953
BDT 126.010038
BGN 1.95527
BHD 0.390354
BIF 3069.82991
BMD 1.035888
BND 1.398989
BOB 7.166858
BRL 6.022445
BSD 1.037118
BTN 90.680748
BWP 14.394184
BYN 3.393993
BYR 20303.411698
BZD 2.083198
CAD 1.487002
CDF 2957.461198
CHF 0.937629
CLF 0.026208
CLP 1005.650783
CNY 7.551362
CNH 7.555443
COP 4326.470573
CRC 526.276472
CUC 1.035888
CUP 27.451041
CVE 109.802144
CZK 25.116205
DJF 184.679725
DKK 7.459421
DOP 64.109138
DZD 140.378603
EGP 52.090059
ERN 15.538325
ETB 130.831589
FJD 2.396323
FKP 0.853144
GBP 0.83723
GEL 2.894167
GGP 0.853144
GHS 15.971827
GIP 0.853144
GMD 74.583747
GNF 8966.117981
GTQ 8.0182
GYD 216.977455
HKD 8.065649
HNL 26.570814
HRK 7.644388
HTG 135.656847
HUF 405.712934
IDR 16938.276593
ILS 3.67961
IMP 0.853144
INR 90.726365
IQD 1358.586178
IRR 43610.899592
ISK 146.55742
JEP 0.853144
JMD 163.769651
JOD 0.734858
JPY 157.76164
KES 133.751058
KGS 90.588209
KHR 4161.16358
KMF 489.923611
KPW 932.299632
KRW 1501.748589
KWD 0.319613
KYD 0.864257
KZT 536.1101
LAK 22552.152144
LBP 92872.60801
LKR 309.627795
LRD 206.378049
LSL 19.311296
LTL 3.058709
LVL 0.626598
LYD 5.094476
MAD 10.380642
MDL 19.414162
MGA 4867.639514
MKD 61.484154
MMK 3364.52496
MNT 3519.948731
MOP 8.319311
MRU 41.348303
MUR 48.345228
MVR 15.963466
MWK 1798.319426
MXN 21.359003
MYR 4.594183
MZN 66.203332
NAD 19.311296
NGN 1556.409493
NIO 38.079586
NOK 11.649528
NPR 145.088
NZD 1.829674
OMR 0.398845
PAB 1.037138
PEN 3.849882
PGK 4.148211
PHP 60.192879
PKR 288.960873
PLN 4.202068
PYG 8171.475361
QAR 3.781559
RON 4.97465
RSD 117.058453
RUB 100.560324
RWF 1446.100139
SAR 3.885187
SBD 8.742296
SCR 14.903437
SDG 622.558829
SEK 11.30683
SGD 1.401546
SHP 0.853144
SLE 23.716661
SLL 21722.060714
SOS 592.701546
SRD 36.364899
STD 21440.797435
SVC 9.074747
SYP 13468.620337
SZL 19.300455
THB 34.985578
TJS 11.320091
TMT 3.635968
TND 3.292569
TOP 2.426158
TRY 37.181296
TTD 7.02439
TWD 34.016809
TZS 2635.071065
UAH 43.166438
UGX 3816.94702
USD 1.035888
UYU 45.129762
UZS 13466.548468
VES 61.517319
VND 26176.898654
VUV 122.982745
WST 2.901344
XAF 653.203508
XAG 0.032282
XAU 0.000361
XCD 2.79954
XDR 0.795447
XOF 652.095783
XPF 119.331742
YER 257.884301
ZAR 19.252985
ZMK 9324.238051
ZMW 29.064203
ZWL 333.555627
  • RBGPF

    -0.7000

    65.3

    -1.07%

  • BCC

    0.7500

    125.5

    +0.6%

  • RELX

    -0.5300

    50.24

    -1.05%

  • JRI

    0.0030

    12.833

    +0.02%

  • BCE

    -1.5850

    23.315

    -6.8%

  • CMSC

    0.0400

    23.54

    +0.17%

  • SCS

    0.0800

    11.64

    +0.69%

  • RIO

    1.3100

    62.68

    +2.09%

  • RYCEF

    -0.0600

    7.44

    -0.81%

  • CMSD

    0.1320

    23.952

    +0.55%

  • GSK

    -0.5500

    37.15

    -1.48%

  • VOD

    0.1400

    8.41

    +1.66%

  • BTI

    0.2500

    41.35

    +0.6%

  • NGG

    -1.1300

    61.54

    -1.84%

  • BP

    0.3450

    32.015

    +1.08%

  • AZN

    2.8550

    73.79

    +3.87%

'It's been difficult for me,' admits Djokovic ahead of Monte Carlo return
'It's been difficult for me,' admits Djokovic ahead of Monte Carlo return

'It's been difficult for me,' admits Djokovic ahead of Monte Carlo return

Novak Djokovic admitted Sunday that his absence from tournaments due to his continued and controversial refusal to get vaccinated "has been difficult, mentally and emotionally" but he is "moving on".

Text size:

The world number one's only appearance in 2022 was in Dubai in February where he played just three matches.

Having been deported from Melbourne, and missing out on a possible 10th Australian Open, his single-minded Covid-19 stance then also saw him declared persona non-grata at the Indian Wells and Miami Masters.

"I hope I won't play six matches in six months! The past three to four months have been really difficult for me, mentally and emotionally. But here I am. I'll leave all that behind and move on," said Djokovic ahead of the Monte Carlo Masters, the prestigious European clay-court season opener which started Sunday.

"I don't think it will leave insurmountable traces, far from it. I'll try to use it as fuel."

In Djokovic's absence from the tour, long-time rival Rafael Nadal clinched the Australian Open for a 21st Grand Slam title, breaking a tie with the Serb and Roger Federer.

He also briefly lost his world number one ranking to Daniil Medvedev although he is now back on top of the pile where he has been for 364 weeks so far in his career.

"I understand that I probably won't be at my best at the beginning of this week," added Djokovic.

"I am still testing my engine, so to speak, and building my game, so it will take obviously some time, some matches to really get in the groove and find the competitive play that I really need."

Despite his off-court dramas, Djokovic insisted he is still keen to add to his Grand Slam collection.

His next opportunity comes at the French Open where he is the defending champion.

"I still feel motivated to be on the tour and compete with young guys and try to challenge the best players in the world for the biggest titles," said the 34-year-old Djokovic, the 2013 and 2015 champion in Monte Carlo.

"I'm very pleased to be here and Monaco has been home for over 10 years. I have been eagerly waiting for the moment when I will be out competing again, so this is the best place where I could possibly start."

His opening opponent will be Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina who saw off Marcos Giron of the United States 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday.

"The Roland Garros win last year is still fresh in my memory, so I try to use that as an inspiration to kick-start the clay-court season best possible way," added Djokovic.

F.Damodaran--DT