Former WTA World No. 1, Ana Ivanovic, has claimed that Novak Djokovic is the greatest tennis player in the history of the sport.
Speaking in an interview on Serbian television, Djokovic's long-time good friend and fellow Serbian, Ivanovic, said she believed that it was the 21-time Grand Slam champion's consistency over the years that means he holds the edge over rivals Rafael Nadal and the recently retired Roger Federer.
"Novak is definitely the best player in the tennis history. The most fascinating thing about him is how long he is at top of the game. Both Roger and Rafa had ups and downs but Nole always stayed at top", said the former French Open champion.
Now retired, Ana Ivanovic was once at the forefront of the rise of Serbian tennis right alongside Novak Djokovic, as they paralleled each other's success for some time.
The two are lifelong friends, having both grown up in Belgrade and started playing tennis together at the same time.
Because of this, Ivanovic's comments have drawn the ire of some tennis fans, who point out that her good friendship with the Wimbledon champion means that her views may be somewhat biased.
Others point out that Djokovic did have his struggles, as he failed to get past the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for two years between the summer of 2016 and Wimbledon 2018, suffering from physical and personal problems at the time.
It is something that Djokovic himself has spoken candidly about, citing a lack of motivation and love for the sport during this period as things that held him back.
However, most stats for consistent success and longevity do point in Djokovic's favour. Fans of Rafa and Roger may dispute this, but there is little doubt that the Serb has been the dominant force over the last decade.
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