Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Novak Djokovic, right, reaches the French Open third round after a three-set win.
PARIS — Despite all of Novak Djokovic’s success over the years — the 12 major championships, the career Grand Slam, the time ranked No. 1 — he still finds himself searching for self-confidence these days.
That’s what an elbow injury and forced absence from the ATP tour can do to a player.
Djokovic was reflective and revealing Wednesday after moving into the third round at the French Open by virtue of a self-described up-and-down performance in a 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-4 victory over 155th-ranked Jaume Munar of Spain. Both of Djokovic’s matches so far have been against qualifiers.
“At the moment, I’m not playing at the level I wish to, but at the same time, I understand that it is the process that obviously takes time,” said Djokovic, whose seeding of No. 20 is his lowest at a Slam in 12 years. “And I’m trying to not give up.”
At least he got through in straight sets, saving energy for whatever might come next at Roland Garros. Other leading men were forced to work a lot harder in matches they would have been expected to breeze through: No. 2seeded Alexander Zverev, No. 4 Grigor Dimitrov and No. 19 Kei Nishikori all faced two-sets-to-one deficits and emerged to win Wednesday.
Among the women, No. 1 Simona Halep shook off a slow start in a postponed first-round match to defeat Alison Riske of the U.S. 2-6, 6-1, 6-1, while second-round winners included reigning major champions Caroline Wozniacki and Sloane Stephens, along with No. 4 Elina Svitolina, No. 8 Petra Kvitova and No. 13 Madison Keys.
So perhaps the most meaningful moments around the grounds came inside the main interview room as Djokovic discussed his state of mind as he tries to regain his previous status in tennis.
He sat out the last half of 2017 because of a painful right elbow, tried to return in January, then decided to have surgery in February.
“Best practice that you can have is a match. I haven’t had too many matches, and I really never thought that I’m going to be challenged in that way, mentally — that I need matches in order to get confidence,” Djokovic said.