There is no time for rest in men's tennis as the 2017 french open is knocking at the door. Having the qualifying stages already in play this week, those having a slot in the main draw can do nothing but to work on their strategy for the upcoming weeks.
With Federer again not competing in Paris, the attention will focus entirely on the other three members of the Big Four and of course those young stars eager to make a name for themselves especially when the stakes are so elevated. For Djokovic, the French Open is the right place to hit that reset button following a 12-months downward spiral.
Having Andre Agassi on his coaching box might be the key element even though their partnership is yet to be confirmed for the long term.
Despite losing in Rome, Djokovic remains a top contender in Paris
Last Sunday, Djokovic had the chance to win his second title of 2017 and the 31st Masters 1000 of his career. He failed in his quest being outplayed by the young tennis star Alexander Zverev. The 20-year-old put his hands on the maiden Masters 1000 crown and at the same time earned the necessary amount of points to enter the top 10 ATP for the first time.
Even so, reaching the final in Rome was the best result of the season for Djokovic, at least for now. With Andre Agassi on his side, things could end up being better at Roland Garros.
Struggling with shape and a low-level of confidence when it comes to his tennis game, what Novak Djokovic really needs now is to clinch a big title delivering some of his finest tennis.
The opportunity is straight ahead having the Serb as the second seed in Paris. The main draw is not out yet but with a bit of luck, might reach the higher stages where anything could happen.
The best case scenario would put Djokovic in the same half with Murray, while an unlucky one could have the Serb sharing draw with Rafael Nadal.
There are also other contenders regarding this final show on clay, Dominic Thiem, and Alexander Zverev are representing the new wave of tennis stars. While Thiem made a name for himself by questioning Nadal's supremacy on clay over the past month, Zverev is the one who got past Djokovic in Rome's final.
Djokovic has another super coach
The past few years were a dream of dominance for Djokovic. Being under Boris Becker's spell, the Serb dismantled every single wall ahead of him. At the end of 2016, their partnership came to an end and now is Andre Agassi trying to make an impact on Djokovic's game.
Like Boris Becker, Andre Agassi is a former legend of tennis having won 8 Grand Slam titles in singles. Aged 47, Agassi was a dominant player in the 90s' and the early 2000s'. It remains to be seen if this will have an impact on Djokovic. This recipe worked well under Becker's regime.
