Djokovic: French Open is 'priority No. 1'

Novak Djokovic has made four French Open semifinals and one final. (Jessica Kluetmeier/SI) Novak Djokovic made no secret about his current goal. "Priority No.

Courtney Nguyen | Feb 25, 2013

Djokovic: French Open is 'priority No. 1' /

Novak Djokovic has made four French Open semifinals and one final. (Jessica Kluetmeier/SI)

Novak Djokovic made no secret about his current goal.

"Priority No. 1 is Roland Garros because it's the only Grand Slam that I haven't won in my career," Djokovic told reporters in Dubai.

Djokovic has knocked on the door in Paris the last two years, carrying a 43-match winning streak at the French Open in 2011 before losing to Roger Federer in the semifinals and pushing Rafael Nadal to four sets in the final last year.

With the seven-time French Open champion Nadal sorting out his form after seven months away, Djokovic may have the best chance in years to hoist the Coupe des Mousquetaires in June. But he welcomes the return of his rival.

"It is great for tennis that he's back," Djokovic said. "Rafa is definitely the ultimate challenge and the toughest one to beat -- he is the king of clay.

"It's a mental battle as much as it is physical, especially if you are playing one of your big rivals in the final of a Grand Slam."

Published Feb 25, 2013

COURTNEY NGUYEN

Contributor, SI.com Nguyen is a freelance writer for SI.com, providing full coverage of professional tennis both on and off the court. Her content has become a must-read for fans and insiders to stay up-to-date with a sport that rarely rests. She has appeared on radio and TV talk shows all over the world and is one of the co-hosts of No Challenges Remaining, a weekly podcast available on iTunes. Nguyen graduated from the University of California, Irvine in 1999 and received a law degree from the University of California, Davis in 2002. She lives in the Bay Area.