Novak Djokovic says upending Rafael Nadal in the Monte Carlo final in early April may help his confidence level for his Roland Garros semifinal against the Spaniard on Friday, but added that Grand Slams are a different level of competition.
“That is something that can maybe give me that mental edge when I step onto the court, knowing I already won against him on clay this season, knowing I can do it, even though not many players in last 10 years have won against him on this surface and he’s been the most dominant player in the history of this sport on this surface.” Djokovic said. “It’s incredible what he does on this surface. But it’s the best of five, so it takes much more than just doing the same thing like in Monte Carlo. It’s a Grand Slam also, so there more tension, more things that are important for both of us. The finals are at stake. But if everything goes well and if I start well in the match, I think that can give me that confidence boost that I need.”