Former WTA No. 1 Justine Henin heaped praise on Novak Djokovic after the Serbian won a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open.
The retired Belgian star was in awe of Novak Djokvic's extraordinary records and stated that there is a lack of superlative to describe him. Djokovic produced a masterful display to beat Daniil Medvedev in straight sets in the final of the US Open.
Djokovic will end the season having won three of the four Grand Slams for the fourth time in his career, and becoming the first player to achieve this monumental feat. Henin, who watched Sunday's final, gave an assessment of the match on Belgian outlet Le Soir and was completely amazed by the 36-year-old's genius.
Henin believes Djokovic showcased all of his strongest attributes during the final and never wilted. She also explained that the raging debate has now been closed, as we have not seen a player in equal measure to Djokovic, not just in terms of number, but strength.
"Novak was the strongest, and he demonstrated it on many levels; we imagined that he would be totally ready to enter this final, but he did it in such a precise, so committed, so intense way."
"We look for the words, because we no longer find them, concerning him. When we finally see this emotion we can imagine and we know all the work behind it, all this commitment, all its sacrifices, all its questioning, at 36 years old."
"There are no words, no matter how hard we look for one, but the debate is closed on many things, we have never seen a player so strong and he demonstrated it again in this final with style,” she added."
Although Djokovic got the job done in straight sets, Medvedev was hardly a pushover, and briefly threatened to level the match in the second set. Djokovic saved a set point at 5-6 down and then recovered from a mini break in the second-set tiebreak to take a commanding lead. Tactically, Henin felt that Djokovic was spot on.
"And tactically, everything he [Novak Djokovic] came up with was perfect. And since Daniil Medvedev entered this part much more slowly, it made a significant gap. We had a second set of a truly exceptional level at times, with all the ingredients gathered to experience a great final."
"But that’s when Djokovic makes his life easier, by resisting. He was on a wire, and then it became clinical again, on his part; he weakens at times, and fortunately so, but he has so much mental strength that it becomes discouraging for his opponents."
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