Top-ranked Novak Djokovic is aiming to be just the second man in nine-year stretch to beat Rafael Nadal at the Roland Garros 2013 tournament. The Serbian will clash against the seven-time French Open champion in the semifinals. The duo dueled for the title in 2012 with Nadal emerging as the winner.
“I know the game plan. I’m going to be confident and step into the court with self-belief. I’m going to win – that’s the mindset,” Djokovic said.
Djokovic is even more determined to win the upcoming match now that his first coach and second mother Jelena Gencic died at the age of 77 last weekend. It was Gencic who encouraged Djokovic to pursue tennis.
“I have the nicest memories of her and this is something that will stay forever,” Djokovic said. “Hopefully I will be able to follow up her legacy because she left so much knowledge to me. Pretty much what I know on court, I owe to her. She’s the one who developed my game. Whatever she told me, I did. And she kept telling me I had the talent to be No.1. I believed her, and I still believe her.”
Nadal’s only French Open defeat was at the 2009 fourth round where he was beaten by Swede Robin Soderling. Djokovic has beaten Nadal and ended the latter’s eight year reign at Monte Carlo Masters last month.
“I played a fantastic match in Monte Carlo. I know what it takes to win against him,” Djokovic said.
