Novak Djokovic admits there is a strange aura enveloping this year’s French Open, with his rivals Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga already out of the competition injured as the second week begins.
Meanwhile, the top-seeded Serb continues unhindered so far in his quest for a first-ever trophy at Roland Garros after reaching the fourth round.
“It’s definitely not very common to have Federer and Nadal not in the second week of the grand slam and top players getting injured,” the number one said. “It’s not something you like to see as a spectator and tennis fan - the top players are very important for the tournament.”
The Serb has so far managed to keep a clean slate as the injuries and bad luck mounts around him.
“This (injuries) happens, this is sport. Sometimes the intensity of and the quantity of matches gets you in that position to, unfortunately as Nadal did, to forfeit from the tournament.
“I don’t know the nature of his (Nadal’s wrist) injury, but it was sad seeing him, you know in his  press conference... you could feel his pain, definitely. He played terrific the opening couple of rounds here. Then something happened.
“If he retired from the tournament, then something really is serious; he’s one of the greatest competitors that the game has ever known.”
Djokovic called playing on clay without nine-time winner Nadal in the mix as “sad”.
“But we keep on going. I’m still in and I’m just hoping it’s going to go well for me.”

Uncle Toni calls Nadal pullout bad luck
Nadal’s French Open wrist injury withdrawal was bad luck of the worst sort, according to uncle and coach Toni Nadal.
After making a run back up the rankings with clay titles this season in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, the number five was forced to quit in Paris last week with a left wrist problem, cutting short his quest for a record tenth title at Roland Garros.
Nadal is now making every effort to be ready for the start of Wimbledon in a month.
“It’s part of the sport. But this setback has come at the worst moment,” Toni Nadal told Sport 360. “It’s a pity because Rafael was starting to get back to a good level, feeling competitive.
“This is the most important tournament of the year for us. Now, the most important thing is for him to recuperate completely and when he’s back, we can get to where we are right now.”
As bad as the wrist problem might be, Nadal has beaten worse physical worries in his career. particularly with his knee.
“We’re gonna work hard to be ready for Wimbledon,” Rafael Nadal said.
“I need a couple of weeks with the immobilisation. Then we’re gonna do the treatment, and we hope the treatment works well. We expect to recover quick, to be ready for Wimbledon.”