Djokovic Facing 'Weight Of Expectations' On Quest To 'Separate Himself From Nadal & Federer'

| by Balasz Virag

Former player and current analyst Mats Wilander thinks that Novak Djokovic faces a good amount of pressure in a bid to separate himself from Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

The Serbian recently became the first man to ever win 23 Grand Slams. He might add number 24 at Wimbledon with many considering him the top favourite. After all, there are many incredible stats backing that up.

Besides winning the four previous editions of Wimbledon comfortably, Djokovic also has more wins at the event than the rest of the Top 20 combined. For the former player Wilander, he's the overwhelming favourite to win.

To me, Novak Djokovic goes in as the big favourite. And the reason that I think he's the big favourite is that I still haven't seen anyone who is as solid as Novak from the baseline that serves as well as Novak.

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Carlos Alcaraz is among those that could challenge him though the Spaniard came up short recently at Roland Garros. Wilander referenced that match by explaining how huge Djokovic's serve was in that match. It's one shot he improved over the years and it's been useful to him at Wimbledon especially.

Over the years, his serve has been improving every time. At the French Open against Carlos Alcaraz, we saw how big the serve is, how important it is to get three points on your first serve, especially when the score is close in your own service games. And I don't see that with Carlos Alcaraz or Holger Rune or Alex de Minaur or any of the young guys.

Wilander also talked about Djokovic's quest to emerge as the only player on the top of he food chain. Winning at Wimbledon would tie him with Margaret Court at 24 and then the US Open could see him become the first to win 25 ever.

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I mean, the pressure is on for Novak big time because obviously, if he wins, he ties Margaret Court at 24 Grand Slams. If he wins, he's now one Slam away from doing the calendar Grand Slam again. And if he wins, you would think that he's put himself far enough away in the distance from Rafael Nadal to come after him and actually threaten his record.

So I think the weight of expectations is there, but I don't think that it's quite there yet. I would think that he's learned a tremendous amount from losing in that final at the US Open against Daniil Medvedev when literally history was on the line and winning the calendar Grand Slam. Of course it has been done before, but Novak would separate himself from the other big two, Roger and Rafa.

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