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Djokovic ready for fresh start, says Wilander

Far from being a fading force, 12-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has shown signs that he is emerging from the toughest spell of his career and is ready for a fresh start ahead of the French Open, which starts on Sunday.

The 31-year-old will be seeded 20th for the clay-court slam in Paris, but there will be a few players anxiously eyeing the drawsheet, hoping to avoid the 2016 champion.

Last week in Rome, Djokovic went toe-to-toe with a rampant Rafael Nadal and, though he lost their semi-final 7-6, 6-3, the level of tennis he produced in an absorbing contest was much closer to what we have come to expect from the Serb.

If they are in opposite halves of the draw, the same duo could be battling for the Roland Garros title on June 10.

"He's coming back for sure, if this slam wasn't called the French Open, I think you would have to put him up among the seven or eight favourites," said three-time champion Mats Wilander, who is part of Eurosport's coverage team.

The early signs are encouraging and, while still not back to his best, the confidence is returning and, crucially, Djokovic appears fully motivated.

Wilander says Djokovic can approach the rest of the year as a new beginning.

"I think his career is like starting over," Wilander said.

"He is pretty much in the same situation now as he was when he was 17, 18, 19 before he won his first Major. He is 31 but starting over again.

"He is trying to find his way on the court in terms of intensity. Working again with (former coach Marian) Vajda is a great move. He has always made good moves, even though the partnership with (previous coach) Andre (Agassi) didn't last, he learnt from them all."

Wilander expects Djokovic to progress into the second week, where his true level will become apparent.

"I think mentally he will play smart matches until it's crunch time," he said. "Then it's more about how much is he willing to suffer emotionally." - REUTERS

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