Mats Wilander has claimed that Novak Djokovic would be the participant most disenchanted by Rafael Nadal’s absence from the French Open. The Spaniard was compelled to pull out of his most successful tournament because of damage and can spend a number of months on the sidelines. And Wilander believes that it places a dent in Djokovic’s plans to surpass the joint Grand Slam file he at the moment shares with Nadal.

Nadal’s French Open possibilities have been in fixed doubt as he struggled to get better from a psoas damage he picked up in January. As the season went on, he continued to drag out of every clay match till he lastly introduced his withdrawal from Roland Garros in a press convention final week.

The 36-year-old additionally revealed that 2024 would likely be his final year on the tour, and he would take a number of months away from the tennis court docket in an effort to return pain-free for his farewell season. While Djokovic is but to publicly reply to the news, one former professional believes that it’s the Serb who will likely be hit the toughest.

“I think that in a way, you're disappointed maybe more than anything that you don't get to play Rafa somewhere,” Wilander informed Eurosport, discussing the 14-time French Open champion’s withdrawal. “And I would think for Novak Djokovic, he’s most probably the most disappointed player in the whole tournament.”

A 3-time French Open champion himself, the Swede famous that Djokovic probably would have needed to beat Nadal in his effort to make historical past. The world No 3 can nonetheless win a file twenty third males’s singles Grand Slam title if he can carry the trophy in Paris.

But Wilander believes that Djokovic’s plans to make historical past additionally would have included defeating Nadal on the best way in a two-horse race for the file. “Because surely he would like to win his 23rd - his third French Open - by beating Rafa Nadal along the way,” he added.

Djokovic himself beforehand made it no secret that he wanted a showdown with the Grand Slam file on the road. He drew stage with Nadal on 22 Major titles apiece after successful the Australian Open and held a press convention in Belgrade, sharing his want to face his largest rival on this 12 months’s French Open remaining.