Novak Djokovic: If healthy, "I always have that belief" to challenge for major titles

On the eve of Roland Garros, which is also his 39th birthday, Novak Djokovic admits that he's been through "challenging times with [his] body through the last six to eight months." But when he's healthy, the Serb declares, he "always [has]" the belief that he can challenge for major titles.

The 24-time Grand Slam singles champion continues his quest for a record-setting 25th Slam title in Paris this year, after falling one match short at January's Australian Open. There, he upset Jannik Sinner in the semifinals before falling to Carlos Alcaraz.

He did that without any tournament play leading into the event, a position that Djokovic finds himself in again after playing just one match during the clay-court season, and losing it.

Read more: Roland Garros men's preview: Can anyone make Jannik Sinner feel the pressure in Paris?

"I wanted to play more, but my body was not allowing me," he said in his pre-tournament press conference, which was not abbreviated unlike that of other high-profile players.

"I\] really wanted to go to Rome \[[where he was visibly ill in a loss to Dino Prizmic] to give it a shot and try and see how I feel," he continued.

"I was far from being ready to compete, but still, I needed at least that one match just to have the score called by chair umpire and have experience of the nerves before I eventually come to Roland Garros, which at that point I didn't know if I was going to be able to play or not.

"Thankfully, the response of the body and the preparation has been positive in the last 10 days, so here I am, and we'll see what happens."

Djokovic landed in the bottom half of the men's draw for his 22nd Roland Garros campaign, and could only meet Sinner in the final. It is a favorable position for anyone, let alone a legend, to be in, considering Carlos Alcaraz is missing the tournament due to injury.

But it's not something Djokovic says he's preoccupied with.

"Of course, you know, it's a big blow for the tournament not to have him," Djokovic said. "Whether that changes my approach to this tournament, I don't think it does significantly change."

"[I spent] lots of hours spent on the court and trying to perfect the game and the body and enable myself physically and game-wise to be ready for best-of-five," he added. "Let's see. I don't know whether that's going to be the case, you know, for the entire tournament, however long that tournament will be for me.

"Grand Slams have been, I mean, I have said this many times, always the priority list, particularly last couple of years. So I always try to aim to be at the peak of my own abilities to perform well in Grand Slams. So can't wait to get on a court and start competing."

Djokovic will face big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round.