‘What are you still doing here?’ joked Daniil Medvedev to Novak Djokovic after their US Open tennis final – a lung-busting baseline slugfest featuring jaw-dropping athleticism and brilliant shot-making – had ended in a straight sets win for the Serb. It was his 24th Grand Slam victory.
There’s no sign that Djokovic wants to slow down. After all, he’s only 36
The Russian’s good-humoured question is one that many elite tennis players will be asking. But there’s no sign that Djoko wants to slow down. After all, he’s only 36. His coach Goran Ivanisevic said that Sunday’s win was one of the greatest feats in all sport – adding: ‘If he wins 25, he’s going to think, “Why not 26?” He’s taking care of his body, he’s taking care of everything.’ Andy Murray also thinks Djokovic can dominate for years to come: ‘It’s up to the young guys to be pushing Novak… but it doesn’t look like that’s close to happening.’ Too right there, Andy.
Novak’s achievement is a source of wonder – but is he the best there’s ever been, given his record number of Grand Slam titles? Most people would probably say they enjoyed watching Roger Federer more, a source of continual (and justified) annoyance to Djokovic.
It’s one of the most frequent – and frequently tedious – conversations in sport: ‘Who is the greatest of all time?’ Djoko’s triumph is breathtaking, but he’s not Roger, nor Rafa Nadal. Those who like statistics will plump for Djokovic – those who like elegance, grace and personality may not.
Uncle Toni Nadal recently suggested that the elite standard is not as high as when Roger and Rafa were in their prime around 2006-12. In that time, Federer won 11 Slams, Nadal ten and Djoko only five.
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