SIDEBAR: Djokovic keeps his mind on tennis and off the rankings

Apr 17, 2009, 17:11 GMT

Monte Carlo - With on-form Andy Murray snapping at his heels in the ranking chase, the ATP points standings are the last thing which Novak Djokovic wants to worry about.

'Look, I try not to think about it,' confessed the number three Serb, into his second straight semi-final at the Monte Carlo Masters. 'But of course, it's part of your life. It's part of your job - of course, you think about it.'

Djokovic started and ended 2008 on highs, lifting his only Grand Slam title at the Australian Open and wrapping up in November by winning the Masters Cup as it was played for the last time in Shanghai before shifting to London this year.

But the points margin is shrinking as Murray - leader on the circuit with three titles in 2009 - makes a steady charge.

Djokovic is trying to remain calm under fire as he works along with his colleagues to try and make the quick-change to clay as Roland Garros approaches.

'It's really important to keep the balance and really not think about it too much because then you keep your focus away from something you need to do on the court,' he said of trying to avoid considering the rankings.

'You need to win every single match you play. You need to believe in that and that's it. If you think about rankings, who's going up, who's losing points, then you lose your priorities.'