Djokovic's Serb revival

"The best results in my career I ever achieved were in America for the last month, the last few tournaments, and I had a big crowd waiting for me back home. Everybody is now interested in tennis," the 19-year-old said ahead of his Monte Carlo Masters campaign.

After winning the Miami Masters and going to the final at the Indian Wells Masters to rocket up to seventh in the world, Djokovic says he is happy his country is finally getting some recognition in the United States as well.

Djokovic, who lost in the first round of Monte Carlo last year to world number one Roger Federer, says he is feeling no pressure when he makes his season's clay debut at the Masters event.

"I started the season really well, I had some good results in Australia, then back in Europe again and in America," Djokovic said. "I don't have anything to defend until French Open."

Djokovic won his first title of the season at Adelaide in January then went on to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open before being eliminated by eventual champion Roger Federer.

"I've had some good results on this surface and I think I can make some good results this year. It's just a matter of time when I'm going to get used to the surface, you know it's not easy coming from a hard court."

"But I'm not feeling any sort of pressure that I need to do something here in Monte Carlo, I'm just going to try and play every match 100 percent, just try to get used to the clay and have a good preparation for the next Majors."

Djokovic reached the quarter-finals of last year's French Open before being eliminated by Rafael Nadal, who he has since beaten in Miami after losing to the Spaniard in the Indian Wells final.

"He's the best player on the world on this surface and everybody knows it," Djokovic said of the world number two.

"He's in the other side of the draw, so I don't look at him right now. I'll go step-by-step."

Djokovic faces 2004 French Open champion Gaston Gaudio in his second-round opener on Tuesday after the Argentine beat Russia's Dimitry Tursunov 5-7 6-2 6-2 in the first round.