Peter Fleming says that Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic is the world number one in waiting.

The 21-year-old Serbian nearly eclipsed French Open champion Rafael Nadal for the number two ranking earlier this year, but lost their decisive semi-final match at the Hamburg Masters 7-5 2-6 6-2.

Djokovic won his first Grand Slam title in Melbourne at the start of the season, and Fleming is certain that Djokovic is poised for even further greatness.

"He's a world number one in waiting, it's really just a matter of time before he gets there," Fleming said on Eurosport.

"You can see the way he carries himself around the court, it's like 'I'm great, you know it, I know it, everybody else knows it.'

"It's just a matter of time before it happens in real life."

The third seeded Djokovic is a firm favourite to return to the last four at Roland Garros, where he would likely face a rematch against the three-time champion Nadal.

Djokovic, who has won eight titles in the past 18 months, eased into the second round of the French Open on Wednesday with a comprehensive 6-1 6-1 6-3 victory over Spanish qualifier Miguel Angel Lopez Jaen.

"He's just grown in his confidence, in his understanding of the game perhaps a little bit," Fleming said.

"His first serve is great. Thirty winners to 16 unforced errors, that tells the story of Djokovic, he does not make mistakes.

"He's a very conservative shotmaker. He goes for shots, but he doesn't play stupid shots. He'll never give a match away and that's part of the beauty of him.

"He really understands the game and plays it the way it should be played.

"His backhand never misses and his backhand down the line hits a lot of winners. If you're going to attack one side, it would be the forehand but he can hurt you with it."

Fleming added that while British number one Andy Murray and Djokovic came up on the ATP Tour at around the same times, the Serbian's attitude has helped him reach the top tier while Murray has been inconsistent.

"I think he's just settled better than Andy has at the very highest echelon of the game," Fleming said.

"Andy got up there last year and they were neck and neck. This time last year, they were three and four in the race I think.

"And then of course Andy didn't play for three or four months [due to injury], but Djokovic just settled in there like this is home, I'm quite happy being here number three, I'm not going to be here for long, but I'm quite comfortable being here while I am.'

"But Andy hasn't quite settled there and he sort of needs to find his equilibrium, which I assume he will do this year, maybe next year.

"It's a mental game. If you can't see yourself at the very top you're not going to get there, and Djokovic definitely sees himself at that top spot.

"The only thing that's holding him back a little bit is that he's very fit, but perhaps not as fit as Nadal and Federer yet."

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Jeremy Stahl / Eurosport