Novak Djokovic revealed that his elbow issue, which affected his performance during the Monte Carlo Masters last week, has not yet fully healed.
The world’s top-ranked player experienced difficulty with his serve and was eventually defeated by Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti.
Djokovic, who underwent elbow surgery in 2018, shared his thoughts ahead of this week’s event in Banja Luka, saying, “The elbow is not in ideal condition, but let’s say it’s good enough. Hopefully, it will be fully ready for the first match.”
The Serbian star won the Australian Open earlier this year, tying Rafael Nadal’s record of 22 Grand Slam titles in men’s singles. He is expected to be a top contender in the upcoming French Open.
In the Banja Luka second round, the 35-year-old will face 87th-ranked French teenager Luca Van Assche, who defeated Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka 1-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 on Monday.
Djokovic admitted he didn’t know much about his young opponent, saying, “I know he’s young; he’s just joined the top 100.” However, he expressed surprise at Van Assche’s victory over Wawrinka.
Van Assche, who is only 18, said he is looking forward to playing against Djokovic, adding, “I know that the crowd will not be with me, I think, but I will enjoy it, and I will try to win.”
