Novak Djokovic made a stunning revelation when asked about his opinion regarding the greatest sportsperson of all time in the wake of his US Open triumph last Sunday.
Djokovic won his fourth US Open, simultaneously putting him on level terms with Margaret Court's all-time Grand Slam record of 24 titles. On the men's side, Djokovic is two clear of his great rival Rafael Nadal and has four more titles than retired legend Roger Federer.
Statistically, Djokovic is unequivocally the greatest tennis player in history, amassing record numbers and showing no signs of wear and tear. Even at 36, he continues to conjure biology-defying feats and it feels like he has the best years patently ahead of him.
His coach Goran Ivanisevic speaks fondly of his long-term ambitions, saying that Djokovic is setting sights on any eye-sahttering sixth appearance at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. Ivanisevic states that Djokovic is driven by challenges and hasn't set a number for himself when it comes to how many titles he wants to win.
So when Djokovic spoke to the Serbian press at the end of the US Open, the GOAT question took a different complexion, with journalists curiously asking the 36-year-old if he is now the best in all of sports. Djokovic refrained from giving a definitive answer.
"I leave that to you guys and all the others, whether I deserve to be a part of that debate. One thing is a fact, though – if I wasn’t from Serbia, I’d have been glorified on a sporting level many years ago, especially in the West."
"But that’s part of my journey, I am grateful and proud to come from Serbia – because of that, all of these accomplishments are sweeter and even more fulfilling."
Djokovic is thorough and speaks with vigor about his own upbringing. Growing up in a family with hardly any tennis history meant that his ultimate goal of winning Wimbledon and attaining the World No. 1 ranking was akin to a tale from the fiction section of libraries.
The fact that Djokovic was able to defy the odds is what makes success sweeter and appreciative of the tough road he went through.
"I mean, that was already, you know, incredibly high ambition for someone coming from a family with no tennis tradition, for a boy in Serbia going through sanctions and embargo, war-torn country, and being part of the very expensive and unaffordable, unaccessible sport."
"This kind of upbringing, really, and experiences I had in childhood really allows me to appreciate this moment or any other moments that I experienced, big moments in my career in the history of this sport."
0 Comments