Novak Djokovic will be 'ready' for French Open as Serb told how Monte Carlo loss helps him

Novak Djokovic has been tipped to be ready in time for his French Open title defence by Greg Rusedski and Daniela Hantuchova after starting the clay swing with a defeat to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The retired former WTA world No 7 also explained how the Serb's defeat to the eventual runner-up in Monte Carlo will help him find confidence ahead of his next tournament in Belgrade.

Djokovic has played just two tournaments so far this season, the most recent coming in Monte Carlo where he lost his opening match to world No 46 Davidovich Fokina. The 22-year-old ended up going all the way to the final by defeating the likes of recent Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz and former top-ten players Grigor Dimitrov and David Goffin, and Hantuchova now believes the loss can actually benefit the world No 1 ahead of his next event.

"In a way I feel like Alejandro helped him to not lose so much confidence and hope because he sees that 'Okay it's one of the best clay court players at the moment'," she said on Amazon PrimeSo he doesn't feel like 'I lost to someone who I was supposed to really win, I lost to someone who is playing incredible tennis'. So I think that it's going to help Novak looking ahead to Belgrade."

Former world No 4 Rusedski also said he believed the 20-time Major champion would be back to his usual dominant self in time for the French Open, where he is the defending champion. "Doesn't matter how he wins, he just needs to win matches," the 1997 US Open finalist said.

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"Even if it's ugly, 6 in the third. If he wins the tournament in Belgrade, welcome back."If Djokovic is unable to go deep at next week's Serbia Open, Rusedski is still