Novak Djokovic Backs Rafael Nadal For French Open Title

Novak Djokovic on Tuesday said Rafael Nadal was his favourite to win the French Open, despite the record 14-time champion struggling for fitness in the twilight of his career. World number one Djokovic is tuning up at the Geneva Open this week before the second Grand Slam of the year begins in Paris. He said if Nadal was in the French Open draw, he could not be ruled out, despite his injury problems and growing competition from a younger generation. "This year is more open," French Open defending champion Djokovic told reporters at the Parc des Eaux-Vives grounds in Geneva. "Casper Ruud is surely one of the five players who are candidates to win. You have Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas -- all the players who won a major tournament on this surface this year.

"But when you talk about Roland-Garros and Nadal is there, he is always the biggest favourite for me.

"After everything he has done on the courts at Roland-Garros, it's normal, respectfully to put him as the biggest favourite.

"Obviously it's a little different with his level of play. But it's Roland-Garros, and it's Nadal.

"After that, maybe me, if I feel good, if I play well. At Roland-Garros, and all the Grand Slams, I am a bit of a different player."

Djokovic, who turns 37 on Wednesday, took a wild card to play in Geneva in a bid to rescue an alarming dip in form ahead of his French Open title defence next week.

The 28-man Swiss clay court tournament serves as a final warm-up.

The record 24-time Grand Slam champion will arrive in Paris without a title in the season for the first time since 2018, unless he wins Geneva.

While time has caught up with 37-year-old Nadal, Djokovic said he was hungry to keep playing at the top.

"I'm searching for my