Novak Djokovic: Should he compete at Roland Garros or focus his efforts on Wimbledon?

According to Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski, Djokovic should consider skipping Roland Garros 2026, but will the Serbian legend heed the advice from two former British number one tennis players?

Djokovic had to withdraw from the Miami Open last month due to injury, while at the Indian Wells Masters he was stopped in the fourth round. Additionally, he also withdrew from the Monte-Carlo Masters 2026. Nole is still searching for the most feasible path to conquer his 25th Grand Slam, surpassing Margaret Court's record.

Djokovic has won three times in Paris, even securing a gold medal at the Olympics here in 2024, but clay courts are no longer the optimal choice for reaching the final Grand Slam title of his career. The strong rise of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in recent years has created a major challenge for Djokovic. The heavy defeat against Sinner in Paris last June clearly demonstrates the mountain he must overcome if he wants to defeat the two top world tennis players on clay courts.

This led former British number one Tim Henman to believe that Djokovic should concentrate all his energy on the goal of conquering Wimbledon—which could be his final campaign on grass courts.

"I'm very curious to see how much he will play on clay courts," Henman shared. "This is the surface that demands the most rigorous physical stamina. Will he play any tournaments before Roland Garros? Will he participate in Roland Garros or not? Or just focus on grass courts? No one knows for sure. I can envision a scenario where he doesn't go to Paris, but let's wait and see."

Henman's former Davis Cup teammate, Greg Rusedski, also holds a similar view, believing that Djokovic should focus on the goal of winning his eighth Wimbledon title. "Roland Garros is beyond his reach, mainly due to physical factors," Rusedski stated on his podcast, "It's a very difficult equation when you're 38 years old and your body no longer recovers as before, while young players like Alcaraz can bounce back extremely quickly physically."

Logically, the most reasonable plan for a tennis player who will turn 39 by the time Wimbledon takes place might be to rest to preserve stamina and prepare optimally for the grass season. However, Djokovic likely does not want to miss what could be his final opportunity to conquer glory in Paris. It seems he still believes that opportunities will open up if the draw is favorable, especially if Alcaraz or Sinner are unexpectedly eliminated early.