Novak Djokovic Not in Peak Form With Andy Murray Looming at World Tour Finals

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These are not easy times for Novak Djokovic as he looks to close 2016 with a comeback statement at the World Tour Finals.

In truth, he has been difficult to gauge, and his 7-6(6), 7-6(5) round-robin victory over Milos Raonic on Tuesday only illustrated the conflicting challenges of winning at the highest level.

The good news? Djokovic has two victories and has clinched a berth in the semifinals. There were flashes of the recently dominant Serb who hoisted the Musketeers' Cup in Paris last June. Nobody else could have created a stabbing backhand lob over the towering Raonic at 5-5 in the first tiebreaker, when nothing short of impeccable precision could have won that point.

There's also plenty of concern. This is the surrealist image of Djokovic, a more subdued player at the moment who is trying to rebuild his dominance through old feelings and patterns that are shades of his genuine best self.

Is he the dominating player that tore up Dominic Thiem in the second and third set on Sunday, or is he the stalemated king who couldn't fight his way through the first set? Is he the clutch performer who battled through the best of the powerful Raonic, or is he the bewildered mortal who gave back two break points before making a great escape?

"I should have done my job earlier, to be honest," Djokovic said, per ATP World Tour. "I'm not very pleased to drop my serve twice against Milos, especially the second time. I was 4-3, 30/0, then I just made four pretty bad unforced errors."

So there's a little work and concentration that will need to be added before a possible weekend showdown with world No. 1 Andy Murray, who usurped his top ranking.

Will Djokovic be ready in the nick of time to vanquish the Scot, take the WTF crown and turn his attention to 2017 in defending the remnant of his former empire?

            

The Reluctant Champion

There's clearly a sense of hesitancy in Djokovic's game. Against the more plodding Raonic, the former world No. 1 was as cautious as a school crossing guard. He mixed in a lot of slow, heavy-spinning groundstrokes, feeling rather than forcing the points. Too often, his serve softened, and he had to race down enough shots to survive the storm.

The technical deficiencies have been more glaring against big hitters like Juan Martin del Potro (Olympics), Stan Wawrinka (U.S. Open final) and Marin Cilic (Paris Masters). Thiem and Raonic are hardly slouches, and they must be credited for their competitive talents. They respect Djokovic, but they have shed their awe-inspiring fear.

But there's more to this puzzle, and it's greater than a few missing pieces under the coffee table. Peter Bodo for ESPN sized up the difference in how he sees the current Djokovic: "Once an uncomplicated, all-business competitor, a less motivated, more philosophical Djokovic has emerged in recent months."

Is it all between the ears or a divided heart? Even Djokovic expressed his own version of doublespeak with his postmatch comments, per ESPN UK: "I have never felt unbeatable and I never will," but added "I don't feel vulnerable."

Say this for Djokovic, he's always been a fierce competitor, and if the post-French Open malaise, nagging injuries and a few key losses have taken him away from that special tennis zone, well, it was an impossible standard to endure, even for one of the greatest legends of all time.

          

Return of the King

It's a bit of a break and opportunity for Djokovic to play his Thursday match against a hobbled Gael Monfils, who can only play for pride after being eliminated with his loss to Thiem. (If Monfils is unable to compete, alternate David Goffin could be a motivated and pesky adversary in his opportunity of a lifetime.)

Will Djokovic iron out some of his inconsistencies, play loose and attack with more bite? It's not a must-win match for the Serb, and he certainly would not want it to be a Pyrrhic victory, the way that Rafael Nadal got drained one year ago in a meaningless round-robin win over David Ferrer.

Will Djokovic win the 2016 WTF? Will Djokovic win the 2016 WTF?

Rather, Djokovic has a couple more days to lock in with his mindset and skills, and to play with a winner's courage against top stars like Kei Nishikori or Marin Cilic. Inevitably, he will probably have to knock off Murray and claim his birthright as the elder brother.

There's progress after months of relative futility. He's getting closer, and there's not a whole lot wrong right now with King Novak, but the margins at the top are slim.

He's going to have to turn back the clock and paint a few lines at the right times. It could be a big break-point hold, a daring net approach or a constant barrage of bold forehands and backhands.

For the first time in his career, King Novak could be a solid underdog against Murray, and it could set up a faltering early chase in 2017 to defend huge titles and points. Or he could take back the No. 1 ranking and shake his fist at the pretender who will be dismissed after a cup of coffee.

The king is not dead, and we will see for how long he lives.