The Spaniard Rafael Nadal has virtually given up the fight for the eternal number 1 in tennis and has also taken the Swiss Roger Federer out of the game. In an interview on Wednesday with the Spanish sports daily “As”, the Iberian said that the numbers clearly spoke in Novak Djoković’s favor in this regard.
The Serb won his 24th Grand Slam title a week and a half ago at the US Open in New York. Nadal has 22, Federer has 20.
Since his French Open triumph this year, Djoković has been the sole number one among men; in Flushing Meadows he has drawn level with the previously solo leading Australian Margaret Court. In January 2024, “Djoker” will have the first chance to become the sole number one in the cross-gender major statistics at the Australian Open.
“He has better numbers than mine, that’s undisputed,” said Nadal, summing up his thoughts on the matter. “That’s the truth. Everything else is a matter of taste, inspiration and feelings that you like one more than the other. But in terms of winning titles, Djoković is the best in history and there is nothing to discuss.”
Nadal does not want to use his absence due to injury problems as an excuse for his lack of title.
That’s just part of the sport and Djoković didn’t play all the majors, said the 37-year-old. “So I congratulate him on everything he has achieved and it doesn’t frustrate me.” He, Nadal, is very happy with what he has achieved.
By the way, he currently sees Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz as Djoković’s only real rival. “That’s despite the fact that he’s still very young. Until recently he (Alcaraz, note) was also number one.”
Djokovic himself isn’t just looking at the Grand Slams for the rest of his career. Olympic gold is what the 36-year-old is still missing. His coach Goran Ivanišević recently said that the 2028 games were still an issue for his then 41-year-old protégé, but for now it is of course about the Paris games.
Olympic victory is also one of Djoković’s main goals for 2024. He won bronze in Beijing in 2008. After that, he came away empty-handed three times in a row.
“I want to play in Paris and hope that I will be physically and mentally ready,” Djoković said last week at the Davis Cup tournament in Valencia.
“But it will be a very challenging schedule next year – Roland Garros on clay, Wimbledon on grass, the Olympics on clay and then the US Open and the tournaments before that on hard court,” said Djoković, referring to the numerous surface changes from spring to late summer.
Of course, competing at the Olympics is a given for him. “It’s one of the most important competitions in the history of the sport. It’s where you represent your country and the feeling of being part of it is a great honor.”
2023-09-20 11:30:56
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