Novak’s standing as the undisputed GAOT of tennis grows with each passing milestone. Novak’s victory at Paris Bercy earlier today marked more than just his 40th Masters championship. He has also won his 70th “Big Title” and is set to end the year at #1 from 7 to 8. He will also keep the number one spot till the Australian Open, or 410 weeks. All of them are extraordinary records that far exceed those of any other player in the sport’s history.
Is Novak Djokovic currently the greatest tennis player of all time? UPDATE: September 12, 2023. I don’t believe there is any more debate to be had. There wasn’t when he won the French Open for the third time, and the 24th slam simply adds to the pointlessness of the non-debate. Let’s look at the numbers. Every grand slam is won at least three times. (Nadal twice). Federer, Agassi, Laver (one) Number one for more than 390 weeks. (Federer 310; Sampras 286) 7 Time Year End Number One (Sampras 6, Federer/Nadal 5)
At least seven finals in each slam (Federer, Nadal five). At least 88 wins at each slam (Federer 73; Nadal 58). Only player in the top three for victory % at all slams. Only player in the top five for victory % across all court types. 39 Masters (Nadal, 36; Federer, 28) 251 wins against top-10 opponents (Federer 224, Nadal 186). 69 major titles (Nadal 59, Federer 54) Won every major title twice (no one even finished once).
The last one is undoubtedly the most astounding because it demonstrates his adaptability, as well as the most difficult record to accomplish and break. In fact, if he wins one more Monte Carlo Masters, he would have completed a treble sweep of all major titles, a feat that no one has ever accomplished. Almost every player was disadvantaged by a poorer surface or was stymied by players who excelled on that surface. Federer and Sampras had poor clay records, Nadal struggled on grass, while Borg failed to win a single hard court slam.
What’s more bizarre is that, at an age when he should be deteriorating, his numbers are improving. Since 2018, his overall win % has been increasing year after year. He finished his first 12 slams in 9 years but took 7 years to complete the remaining 12. He has made all four grand slam finals in a season three times, with two of them coming in 2021 and 2023, when he was 34 and 36.
Medvedev explained why it is so difficult to beat Djokovic consistently. If you defeat him, you’ll simply be teaching him how to improve his game. If you defeat him once, expect to see a different player the next time you face him, because he will no longer provide you with the same exploitable weaknesses. Furthermore, Djokovic does not have a consistent style. He will simply change his style to reveal your weakness. Medvedev has the same return talents, speed, and stroke accuracy as Djokovic, and his style of play is identical to Djokovic’s default aggressive baselining.
So, at the US Open 2023, Djokovic began playing Serve and Volley and approached the net more frequently. Medvedev may have held up in baseline exchanges, but he couldn’t keep up with Djokovic’s net play and was unprepared for it. This is not an isolated incident; it demonstrates why he has had such widespread success against every opponent, competition, and court type.
Given the numerous court kinds and variances, it is nearly hard to be an all-conquering tennis player. Nonetheless, Novak did it. He’s undoubtedly the best tennis player there has ever been. His records do not reflect being the best at one thing, but rather being among the best at everything. I used to like having talks and reading articles about this topic when the numbers were more evenly matched. However, there is currently nothing to discuss. When you list the numbers, the answer is clear.
