Paris - Novak Djokovic begins his French Open campaign inspired by a compliment from Spain's Carlos Moya after a four-hour losing battle last weekend against Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic lost a four-hour heartbreaker as Nadal saved three match points in their Madrid semi-final. A day later, the Spaniard went down in the final to Roger Federer.

Djokovic was devastated in the hours after his fighting loss. But he says he was lifted by kind words from Moya, former number one and Paris champion and mentor to fellow islander Nadal of Mallorca.

"He came up to me and said that it has been the best three-set match that he watched on this surface ever. So I think that's a big compliment from a big champion as he is."

Djokovic, now ranked fourth after being overhauled by Andy Murrray, lost to Nadal in Masters 1000 finals in Monte Carlo and Rome and considers his clay season something of a success.

"I don't know if I can rate myself as a number two (on clay). There's not really a clay court rankings.

"But I've been certainly playing some good tennis. The semi against Rafa in Madrid gave me even more self-belief that I might in our next encounter might win against him.

"It's a big improvement from what I felt last year playing on clay." (dpa)