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Jannik Sinner has the same “competitive arrogance bordering on ruthlessness” as Novak Djokovic, according to renowned tennis coach Riccardo Piatti — who worked with both players.

As well as Sinner and Djokovic, Piatti has coached a host of tennis stars, including Maria Sharapova, Ivan Ljubicic, Milos Raonic, Richard Gasquet and Borna Coric.

The Italian worked with a teenage Djokovic from late 2005 until June 2006, and later declared he knew the Serb could reach the very top.

“When we worked together I thought he could become No 1 in the world at the level of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer because Novak always worked hard as a kid, with the family, and he was very focused and determined to be world No 1,” Piatti told Reuters during Djokovic’s outstanding 2011 season.

Piatti later played an integral role during Sinner‘s formative years, having worked with his Italian compatriot from the age of 13 until 20. Sinner chose to end the partnership in February 2022.

In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Piatti was asked if he still speaks to Sinner and gave an insight into the world No 1’s belief.

“Rarely. But on November 8, he sent me birthday wishes. It was the eve of the [2024] ATP Finals. ‘Have fun and make us have fun’, I wrote [to] him. ‘It will go well’, he replied. He already knew. He knew he was going to win,” he divulged.

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Addressing the current state of the ATP Tour in Sinner’s absence, Piatti revealed the Italian reminds him of Djokovic.

“I see a period of transition,” Piatti assessed. “At the top, there’s a much-improved Sinner. Alcaraz is chasing, but don’t crucify him — he already has four Slams, he was born in 2003, he is still building his life and career. Maturity will come.

“A generational shift is underway. Joao Fonseca, at 18, has played only 33 ATP matches. I used to tell Jannik that he needed to play 150 before he could aim for the next level. He was in a hurry — by the 139th, he became world No 9. Let’s give Fonseca time, let’s talk again when he reaches 80 matches.

“Mensik has played 69 and has already won in Miami. I find him interesting, but again, let’s check back in 60 or 70 matches. I don’t know the motivation of these talents, but I knew Jannik’s well — it reminded me a lot of Novak Djokovic.”

Asked to summarise the similarities he sees between Sinner and Djokovic, Piatti added: “A competitive arrogance bordering on ruthlessness.”

READ NEXT: Exclusive: Has ‘more consistent’ Jannik Sinner’s absence fuelled Carlos Alcaraz criticism?

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Has Jannik Sinner’s current absence from the ATP Tour helped fuel recent criticism of Carlos Alcaraz?

That’s the verdict of former world No 6 Gilles Simon, who believes the lack of a “more consistent” Sinner over the past two months has increased speculation surrounding Alcaraz’s form.

Over the past 15 months, Sinner and Alcaraz have widely been hailed as the leading stars of a new era of tennis, following in the footsteps of the ‘Big Three’ and Andy Murray.

Both men won two Grand Slam titles in 2024, though it was Sinner who finished the year as the world No 1 ahead of world No 3 Alcaraz – winning eight total titles compared to the Spaniard’s four.

With the Italian serving a three-month suspension, which began in February and will not end until early May, many backed Alcaraz to reclaim the No 1 ranking he had previously held for 36 weeks.

However, since his rival’s ban, the Spaniard has not won a title, losing in the Qatar Open quarter-final, Indian Wells semi-final, and in his opening match at the Miami Open.

Alcaraz will look to return to form at the Monte Carlo Masters and, ahead of the tournament, admitted he was frustrated at recent criticism directed his way.

Speaking to Tennis365, Simon claimed Alcaraz was facing heavier criticism as his results were under stronger scrutiny without Sinner – something that rarely emerged during the ‘Big Three’ and Murray era.

“I’m from a generation where the top players were able to win every week – but there were four, which means there were not all four winning at the same time,” said the 14-time ATP titleist.

“Sometimes it was one at the top winning everything, and the other ones were not winning. As we were sometimes seeing them as a group, we felt that they were always there.

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“Today, the two players that could be in this way are Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Jannik is more consistent, and this is why he is at this ranking, I don’t think he’s a better tennis player – I just think he’s more consistent.

“The ranking is over one year, and he doesn’t have these up and downs that Carlos can have. We all know if they play at their highest level, both of them, we are not sure that Jannik is going to win.

“Carlos is a bit more up and down. Jannik is not here at the moment, so if Carlos is a bit down, we feel like he disappeared or it’s a big mess or like the tour looks like nothing, and it’s a different winner every week.

“In the end, I think it was just a bad habit that we had with Roger, Rafa, and Novak being there, but also being four of them, when one had an accident like Carlos can have.”

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and  Novak Djokovic defined an era of tennis and dominated the men’s game for the best part of two decades.

However, it was not always the case that there was an established ‘Big Three’, with Federer – the oldest of the trio – the first to break through and dominate the sport.

While Federer was dominant throughout large parts of the mid-2000s, there were times when the Swiss’ results were under significant scrutiny.

And Simon recalled the 20-time Grand Slam champion being beaten by Guillermo Canas in both Indian Wells and Miami in 2007, claiming the Swiss faced a similar level of criticism as Alcaraz currently is.

He added: “The first time I came in Indian Wells and Miami, Roger lost to Canas twice, and it was a big deal because he was the only one at that time. The other ones [Nadal and Djokovic] were not there yet.

“If it happens five years later, same thing, he would lose – but then we still have Rafa and Novak in the final, and everyone forgets.

“This is where I feel like we can see that only two players are currently carrying the tour, or get this huge attention and focus on them.

“He’s [Alcaraz] a top player, he’s won four Slams, he’s 21 years old, he’s achieving crazy things, and sometimes it’s just human that you are not going to win everything.”

Simon was speaking in his role as an ambassador and team captain for the 2025 Roland-Garros eSeries by Renault.

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Novak Djokovic will be looking to build on his Miami Open final run at the 2025 Monte Carlo Masters, and he now knows the identity of his first opponent.

The Serbian, who receives an opening round bye as the No 3 seed, will take on 32nd-ranked Alejandro Tabilo in the second round.

As he bids for a third Monte Carlo crown and a milestone 100th ATP singles title, Djokovic has plenty on the line this week.

The world No 5 may, though, have some added motivation for his opening match.

What is Djokovic’s history with Tabilo?

Tabilo is a rare player with a winning record against Djokovic, having earned a shock 6-2, 6-3 victory in the pair’s only previous encounter – which came in the third round of the 2024 Italian Open.

Djokovic, who was the top seed in Rome last year, was broken four times and did not generate a single break point on Tabilo’s serve in a one-sided contest lasting just over an hour.

The defeat for Djokovic came two days after he was struck on the head by a metal water bottle that fell from a spectator’s bag as he left the court following his first match at the event.

Tabilo, who was seeded 29th, went on to reach the semi-finals in an impressive run at the Masters 1000 event.

What did Djokovic say after losing to Tabilo in Rome?

Q. Could you please explain why you weren’t able to perform at your highest level today?

DJOKOVIC: Congratulations to my opponent. It’s the first time I faced him. Great player. Really quality player. All-around game.

Yeah, I just wasn’t able to find any kind of good feelings on the court, to be honest, with striking the ball. Yeah, I was completely off.

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Q. Was this related at all to the bottle incident? Were you feeling anything from what happened on Friday night?

DJOKOVIC: I don’t know, to be honest. I have to check that. Training was different. I was going for kind of easy training yesterday. I didn’t feel anything, but I also didn’t feel the same.

Today under high stress, it was quite bad – not in terms of pain, but in terms of this balance. Just no coordination. Completely different player from what it was two nights ago. Could be. I don’t know. I have to do medical checkups and see what’s going on.

Tabilo’s form

Tabilo ground out a 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 win against 163rd-ranked wildcard Stan Wawrinka in the first round in Monte Carlo.

This was just Tabilo’s third win of 2025: he holds a 3-9 record this season having struggled badly for form.

The 27-year-old Chilean has not won back-to-back matches since the Canadian Open in August last year.

Tabilo is at his best on clay, but it is difficult to see him upsetting Djokovic again if the 24-time major winner is anywhere near his best.

When will the Djokovic-Tabilo match take place?

The second round match between Djokovic and Tabilo in Monte Carlo is expected to be played on Wednesday, with the order of play yet to be announced.

READ NEXT: The 5 men with the most Monte Carlo Masters appearances: Novak Djokovic set to surpass Rafael Nadal

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The clay court season has moved into top gear with the start of the Monte-Carlos Masters, but who will be the kings of clay for 2025?

This compelling phase of the tennis year will conclude with the French Open in Paris at the start of June, but so many stories will be written between now and then.

The ATP 1000 events in Madrid and Rome will dominate the build-up to the second Grand Slam of 2025, with the seedings for that major in Paris potentially playing a big role in the final outcome.

Here is our prediction for the top eight seeds at the French Open:

1. Jannik Sinner

Currently serving a three-month suspension for a doping violation, Sinner is set to return in front of his Italian fans at the Rome Masters next month.

His lead at the top of the ATP Rankings has not been impacted by his absence from the game, with nearest rivals Alexander Zverev and Carls Alcaraz failing to eat into his rankings lead over the last few weeks.

2. Carlos Alcaraz

The Spanish star admitted he was struggling with his focus as he crashed out of the Miami Open in his opening match against David Goffin, but he has a huge chance to climb back up to No 2 in the ATP Rankings ahead of the French Open.

Alcaraz is defending French Open champion and at home on clay courts, so he will fancy his chances of making progress in Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome and he has limited ranking points to defend after injury worries at this time last year.

3. Alexander Zverev

The German big-hitter has 2,550 ranking points to defend in this clay court season from 2024, with most of them coming from his win at the Rome Masters and a run to the French Open final last year.

Zverev has to be worried about his form heading into this clay court season as he struggled on the surface in tournaments in South America and was then below his best at the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments. He needs to find his form quickly to avoid losing the No 2 ranking he currently holds.

4. Novak Djokovic

With Djokovic playing more tournaments in 2025, he has a great chance to get back into the top four of the rankings in time for the French Open and Wimbledon.

That could be crucial to his ambitions of winning a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title, as it could ensure he would avoid a meeting with Sinner or Alcaraz until the semi-finals.

5. Jack Draper

Indian Wells champion Draper is up to No 6 in the ATP Rankings this week, which is a new career high.

He has limited points to defend on clay over the next few weeks and while it may be his least favourite surface, Draper is a big presence in the top 10 of the men’s game and he has a chance to get into the top 5 in time for the French Open.

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6. Taylor Fritz

The current world No 4 has a solid 2024 season on clay, reaching the final in an ATP 500 event in Munich and the semi-final of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid.

He also reached the last eight in Rome and that means he has to match those efforts on his least favourite surface to stay in the top four. Given his recent form, that looks unlikely.

7. Caper Ruud

Last year’s Barcelona Open champion has plenty of points to defend from the 2024 clay court swing, but he is a class act on this surface.

His ability to get the ball back into court on the red clay makes him a tough opponent to beat and he could be in the top eight by the time we get to Roland Garros.

8. Alex de Minaur

The Australian may not be at home on clay, but Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev will be dropping plenty of ranking points off their records after ATP 1000 wins on clay last year and that should open a door for De Minaur to step into the top eight for the French Open.

He is a stronger player than he was a year ago and should be able to adapt to clay.

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The big guns will only begin their Monte Carlo Masters campaigns in the second round, but do you know how many points they are defending at this week’s ATP Masters event?

World No 1 Jannik Sinner will of course once again be absent as he continues to serve his three-month ban. The Italian will also miss the Madrid Open and Barcelona Open before finally returning at the Italian Open in early May.

Despite not featuring in Monte Carlo this year, the Italian will still drop points from his 2024 results so he will lose out, but not by too much.

He is currently on 10,330 points, but will remain top after the tournament as Alexander Zverev is too far adrift in second place.

Unlike the Sunshine Double, the Indian Wells Open and Miami Open which are 96-player single draws, the Monte Carlo event is a 56-player draw, which means there is a change in the points being awarded as it starts at the round of 64 and not the round of 128.

So it is first round, second round, the round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final.

Monte Carlo Ranking Points Breakdown

Winner: 1000 points
Finalist: 650 points
Semi-finalists: 400 points
Quarter-finalists: 200 points
Round of 16: 100 points
Round of 32: 50 points
First of 64: 10 points

Let’s start with the top five in the ATP Rankings and Jannik Sinner will drop 400 points after reaching the semi-final last year. It means he will be on 9,930 points after the tournament as he will not be able to add to his tally.

Zverev – who is 2,685 points behind the Italian – lost in the third round last year so he will drop only 50 points and a decent performance this time around will help him to edge closer to Sinner.

Carlos Alcaraz is in an even better position as he didn’t play last year due to injury so he will not have any points to defend and could overtake Zverev if he wins the title and the German falls in the second round.

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World No 4 Taylor Fritz lost in the first round in 2024, but won’t compete this year while 24-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic reached the last four last year so will drop 400 points.

Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas were the finalists in 2024 and the former will also drop 650 points while Tsitsipas is defending 1,000 points as he won the title last year.

As a result, Ruud has slipped four places to No 11 in the Live Rankings while Tsitispas is down nine places to No 17. Both, of course, can work their way back up with a couple of victories this week.

Alex de Minaur, Ugo Hubert, Karen Khachanov and Holger Rune fell at the quarter-final stage last year so will drop 200 points.

Live Rankings After Points Dropped

1. Jannik Sinner – 9,330 points
2. Alexander Zverev – 7,595
3. Carlos Alcaraz – 6,730
4. Taylor Fritz – 5,280
5. Novak Djokovic – 4,120
6. Jack Draper – 3,780
7. Andrey Rublev – 3,440
8. Daniil Medvedev – 3,200
9. Tommy Paul – 3,160
10. Alex de Minaur – 3,145
11. Casper Ruud – 3,125
12. Holger Rune – 3,080
13. Ben Shelton – 2,700
14. Arthur Fils – 2,630
15. Lorenzo Musetti – 2,600
16. Frances Tiafoe – 2,525
17. Stefanos Tsitsipas – 2,455
18. Felix Auger-Aliassime – 2,415
19. Grigor Dimitrov – 2,405
20. Tomas Machac – 2,210

The top eight seeds have byes into the second round and their 10 points for a first-round victory have already been added to their tallies above.

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Novak Djokovic has revealed he has added a very familiar face to his coaching team at the Monte Carlo Masters in the absence of Andy Murray.

The 24-time major champion started working with his former rival Murray during the off-season in a move that stunned the tennis world.

The collaboration has largely brought positive results thus far, with the pair having joined forces at the Australian Open and the Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami.

Djokovic made an impressive run to the semi-finals in Australia, where he beat Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals before injury forced him to retire against Alexander Zverev.

The Serbian fell to a shock defeat to Botic van de Zandschulp in his opening match in Indian Wells, but he bounced back by reaching the final at the Miami Open.

The world No 5 is competing at the Monte Carlo Masters, where he is set to begin his clay-court campaign.

Djokovic has divulged that his brother, Marko Djokovic, will coach him in Monte Carlo and explained he and Murray had agreed that the Brit would not join him at the tournament.

“I’m here with my brother, my brother is helping me [in] a tennis coach role this week,” he said at his pre-tournament press conference in Monte Carlo.

“It was never part of the program or an agreement in the schedule to work with Andy this week. So I was thinking about who I want, if I want to have anybody besides my fitness coach and physio.

“And then Marko, my brother was happy to join me so, of course, that helps me on a different level, emotionally as well. I mean, to have my brother spend some time with him as well on the road, I don’t get to see him much, so it’s great for me.”

Asked about Murray’s whereabouts, Djokovic said: “I have no idea, to be honest (laughs). I spoke to him about, four or five days ago, and he was back home.

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“I mean, obviously busy with family and I guess he’s working on his golf swing. That’s his priority, I guess, this week.”

The 37-year-old went on to add that he and Murray had a debrief after Miami and revealed they are next due to link up at the Madrid Open.

“We spoke about Miami, obviously a little bit of a bitter feeling in the end to lose the finals,” Djokovic continued.

“But I think it was overall a great tournament with high-quality tennis from my side, haven’t dropped the set until the finals and served great, played well. Yeah, just a bit unlucky in that finals two tiebreaks, but he was better, that’s all.

“But it gives me a lot of a great deal of encouragement and positivity, I think, reflecting on my game and how I played in Miami.

“And we are planning to be together in Madrid. And then we see, I don’t know, I mean, probably Roland Garros, we still have to talk about it after Madrid.”

READ NEXT: Top 5 contenders for the Monte Carlo Masters title – ranked: ft. Alcaraz, Djokovic, Tsitsipas

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Alex Eala has revealed she received a personal message from tennis icon Rafael Nadal during her historic run at the Miami Open.

Nineteen-year-old Eala was arguably the story of this year’s event in Miami, with the Filipina defying her wildcard status to reach the last four.

Eala beat three Grand Slam champions – Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek – on her way to the last four, becoming the first woman from the Philippines to reach a WTA 1000 semi-final.

Having been ranked 140th heading into the tournament, Eala’s run saw her move up to a new high of world No 75 – becoming the first woman from her country to crack the top 100.

Eala has long been recognised as a promising junior, having lifted the US Open girls’ singles title back in 2022.

And her talent has been honed at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, where she trained for several years before graduating in 2023.

Nadal publicly congratulated Eala on social media amid her ranking-defying run at the WTA 1000 event but the teen star has now revealed she also received a direct message from the Spaniard.

“Rafa messaged me,” said Eala, speaking on Power and Play. “It was the first time he ever messaged me personally so I think that was a shock to see.

“Funny story, I only saw it like a couple of days after kasi nga punong puno yung cellphone ko [checking her phone]. It was exciting to see his notification.”

Heading into the Miami Open, Eala had limited experience on the WTA Tour – and the 19-year-old has never played a Grand Slam main draw match.

However, a ranking inside the top 100 will enable her to enter more WTA-level events, and will be enough to automatically enter the main draw of the French Open next month.

Eala’s most eye-catching win in Miami was her 6-2, 7-5 victory over reigning French Open champion Swiatek in the quarter-finals, though her third-round win over Australian Open champion Keys was even more emphatic.

Having then pushed world No 4 and 2024 US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula to three sets in the last four, all eyes are on what impact Eala could now make in the coming months.

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And, in a potential warning to the WTA field, Eala believes she has been continually “improving” – and that the “level is there” to keep challenging the very best.

She added: “I think that I have been improving for a while [on] everything. A little bit my serve, a little bit of my fitness, the quality of my shots, how to build a point.

“And, I think it took me a while to really mesh those things together and really make it come out during the matches. But as you can see, when I’m playing well, the level is really there.

“I feel this week is really gonna help with the trust that I have in myself and the trust that I have in my game, and when I need to go for those big points, then I believe that I have the level to do so.”

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The first clay-court Masters 1000 tournament of the 2025 season is underway in Monte Carlo, but which players are the leading contenders for the title?

This year’s event is the 118th edition of the prestigious clay-court tournament, which was first held in 1896.

The draw for the Monte Carlo Masters features 56 players, with 16 seeds. Stefanos Tsitsipas is the defending champion, having beaten Casper Ruud in the 2024 final.

Monte Carlo Masters 2025 seeds

1) Alexander Zverev
2) Carlos Alcaraz
3) Novak Djokovic
4) Casper Ruud
5) Jack Draper
6) Stefanos Tsitsipas
7) Andrey Rublev
8) Alex de Minaur
9) Daniil Medvedev
10) Holger Rune
11) Ben Shelton
12) Arthur Fils
13) Lorenzo Musetti
14) Frances Tiafoe
15) Grigor Dimitrov
16) Felix Auger-Aliassime

Here, we rank our top five contenders for the Monte Carlo crown.

5. Alexander Zverev

Alexander Zverev is the top seed in Monte Carlo in the absence of world No 1 Jannik Sinner, who remains sidelined until May 4 due to his doping ban.

The world No 2 enters the tournament having won just six of the 11 matches he has played across five tournaments since losing the Australian Open final.

The German also faces a brutal draw, with an in-form Matteo Berrettini his likely opponent in his first match.

Zverev could then meet Lorenzo Musetti in the third round before a potential quarter-final showdown with either Stefanos Tsitsipas or Holger Rune. All three of these players have previously excelled on the slow clay in Monaco. Novak Djokovic could then await if he reaches the last four.

The 27-year-old is capable of turning around his fortunes as he often plays his best tennis on clay, although Monte Carlo is the only Masters event he has not won on this surface and is by far his worst for win percentage (64% compared to 82% in Madrid and 80% in Rome).

4. Casper Ruud

Casper Ruud has endured a slightly disappointing season so far outside of a runner-up result in Dallas, but he always comes alive at this time of year.

The 11-time clay titlist was a runner-up in Monte Carlo in 2024 and he has a favourable path to make a deep run again as he seeks a maiden Masters title.

Jack Draper, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe — none of whom are at their best on clay — are the three seeded players who stand between Ruud and a place in the semi-finals.

The 26-year-old Norwegian may, though, need to overcome a 1-4 head-to-head deficit against Carlos Alcaraz in a possible semi-final.

The fourth seed could face a similar hurdle if he plays Djokovic (1-5) or Zverev (2-4) in the final, although he has a 3-2 record against Tsitsipas despite losing to the Greek at this tournament last year.

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3. Stefanos Tsitsipas

Among active players, Stefanos Tsitsipas is undoubtedly the King of Monte Carlo, having secured the title in three of the last four years.

Despite an underwhelming Sunshine Double, Tsitsipas should arrive at his favourite event with added confidence having won the Dubai Championships after changing to a new racket just over a month ago.

The sixth seed could face a tricky third round test against 2023 Monte Carlo finalist Rune — who he lost to in Indian Wells — but it is hard not to see Tsitsipas making it to at least the final four.

The 26-year-old Greek could, though, need to overcome his two nightmare opponents to lift his fourth Monte Carlo title.

Tsitsipas has lost 11 straight matches and is 2-12 against Djokovic, who he could meet in the semi-finals, while he is 0-6 against Alcaraz, who he may face in the final. He is yet to play either Djokovic or Alcaraz in Monte Carlo.

2. Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic will continue his bid for a 100th ATP title in Monte Carlo, where victory would see him complete a Triple Career Golden Masters.

It is Djokovic’s worst Masters 1000 event for win percentage (72.2%), and he has found it particularly challenging since winning his second title in 2015, although he made the semi-finals last year.

The Serbian does, though, enter this year’s edition on the back of a hugely encouraging run to the final of the Miami Open.

An in-form Djokovic should be too strong on clay for the three seeds in his section: Alex de Minaur, Daniil Medvedev and Grigor Dimitrov.

The No 3 seed would like his chances against Tsitsipas or Zverev in a potential semi-final — by which stage he would have three wins under his belt.

A projected final showdown with Alcaraz promises to be a blockbuster, with Djokovic leading the clay head-to-head 2-1 against his Spanish rival.

1. Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz arrives in Monte Carlo on a two-match losing streak after erratic displays ended his runs in Indian Wells and Miami.

While his shock loss to David Goffin in his opening match at the latter event was alarming, the extra time to prepare for the clay season could work in Alcaraz’s favour.

The surface change and quick transition from Miami to Monte Carlo is notoriously difficult for players who go deep in South Florida — as Alcaraz has found after his strong Miami runs in 2022-2024.

This will be only his second appearance at the season’s first clay-court Masters event after 2022, when he lost his first match following a Miami title win. The 21-year-old Spaniard was forced to withdraw from each of the last two editions of Monte Carlo due to injuries.

The No 2 seed will likely face a dangerous test against Francisco Cerundolo in his first match, but his route to the final looks clear thereafter.

The defending Roland Garros champion is arguably the player to beat on this surface when at his best, and it’s hard not to see him ending his wait for a big title soon.

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Novak Djokovic has confirmed he is “dealing with some health issues” as he admitted he had “lower” expectations for his Monte Carlo Masters campaign.

World No 5 Djokovic is the third seed at the Masters 1000 event and is looking for a third title at the tournament, having previously triumphed in 2013 and 2015.

The Serbian is also looking for his 100th ATP title, having just missed out at the Miami Open.

Djokovic did not drop a set on his way to the final in Miami, though he was then beaten 7-6(4), 7-6(4) by 19-year-old Jakub Mensik in the championship match.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion is among the favourites for the title in Monte Carlo, and was a semi-finalist at the event twelve months ago.

However, speaking ahead of the tournament, the 37-year-old has cast some doubt over his hopes of a 100th career title, and 41st Masters 1000 title.

Speaking to SportKlub, the Serbian confirmed that he was still suffering from the effects of an eye infection in the build-up to his campaign.

“I feel great here,” said Djokovic.

“I’ve been based in Monte Carlo for 15 years and I know this club well, I’ve trained on these grounds for so many years.

“When it comes to this tournament, I have a special motivation, and I want to go as far as possible.

“However, my expectations are lower compared to other tournaments because I didn’t have enough time to prepare for clay and this tournament. I’m still dealing with some health issues from Miami.

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“I’m trying to get the most out of these days, from the preparations and training and to manage to play more than one match, I hope.

“I’m taking it day by day, I’m the type of player who plays better as time goes on and as I play more tournaments on this surface which is quite demanding and different.”

Djokovic appeared in good spirits on site on Sunday, with the world No 5 spotted practicing with world No 3 and Monte Carlo second seed Carlos Alcaraz, who he could meet in the final.

Like all of the top eight seeds, Djokovic has the advantage of an opening-round bye at the tournament, which could aid his chances of a successful run.

The 37-year-old is set to face the winner of Alejandro Tabilo and Stan Wawrinka’s round-one match in his opener, with both of his potential opponents struggling for form in 2025.

Djokovic is then projected to face 15th seed Grigor Dimitrov in the third round, before an expected quarter-final against eighth seed Alex de Minaur.

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Dominic Thiem has argued Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are as difficult to beat as Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were in the Big Three era.

Sinner and Alcaraz, who currently sit first and third respectively in the ATP Rankings, have won the last five Grand Slam titles between them.

Alcaraz, 21, did the French Open-Wimbledon double in 2024, having also won Wimbledon in 2023 and the US Open in 2022.

Sinner, 23, secured his maiden major crown at the 2024 Australian Open and added his second at last year’s US Open. The Italian made it three consecutive hard-court Grand Slam triumphs by defending his Australian Open title in January.

The duo are the only players from their generation to win majors, with 29-year-old Daniil Medvedev the next-youngest men’s Grand Slam champion.

The Big Three, meanwhile, won an astonishing 66 majors between them. Djokovic has secured a record 24, while Nadal and Federer retired on 22 on 20 respectively.

In an interview with Tennis Magazin, Thiem spoke about the difficulty of winning a Grand Slam title in the current era when asked about Alexander Zverev’s prospects.

“I hope Sascha wins a Grand Slam. I think his career is far too good without one,” the 2020 US Open champion and former world No 3 said.

“But even if he doesn’t make it, it’s still absolutely sensational. If he wins a Grand Slam, he’ll pretty much automatically become number one because he’s playing so consistently and so well.

“Everyone said that when the Big Three or the Big Four are gone, it will be easier because no one will come up. Now we have Sinner and Alcaraz. If they’re not injured or out for some other reason, you usually have to beat one or even both of them, and that’s really hard.

“I think Sinner and Alcaraz are probably just as hard to beat today as Federer or Djokovic were back then.

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“And there are some other really good players like Taylor Fritz when he’s playing at a really high level, like at the US Open. Winning a Grand Slam isn’t any easier than it was five or ten years ago.”

Thiem, who called time on his illustrious career in October last year, also revealed he remains happy with his decision to retire at the age of 31.

“Yes, definitely. On paper it says I had a career from 2011 to 2024, but that’s not true,” the Austrian explained.

“Your career starts when you’re eleven or twelve. Then you start to base your whole life around the sport. Before you even start playing professionally, eight or nine years have already passed, and they’re very exhausting.

“You have to put all your energy into it every day, train for hours. For me, that’s just as much a part of a career as the years when you’re famous and playing on the real tour.

“That’s why, at 31, I’ve probably had 20 years and achieved more than I ever expected. So, for me, it’s a very complete story.”

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