Novak Djokovic he dropped down on the clay at Roland Garros on Sunday, with a feeling of satisfaction and, at the same time, relief. He had just won his 23rd Grand Slam title, beating Casper Ruud in the final, a figure that leaves him alone at the top of men’s tennis, ahead of Rafa Nadal (22) and Roger Federer (20). . Far from settling and quietly enjoy your successthe Serbian is already thinking about the challenges that remain, because he does not hide the fact that his ambition has no limits, that he wants all possible records.
“I look forward to Wimbledon”he said at the press conference after his victory. “When you talk about history, people are mainly referring to the Slams won or the amount of time you spend as number one. I managed to break the records in both sections, which is incredible. And it’s not something that’s guaranteed or that it happens just because everyone thinks that if you’ve done it once you can do it again.”he added before explaining the possible handicaps he may have in his constant pursuit of glory. “I’m aware that even though I don’t like to think about age or think it’s just a number, my body is responding differently now. Before I recovered faster and I didn’t feel as much pain and fatigue as after this final”.
In addition to the record for Grand Slam titles, Djokovic has the best men’s records in Australian Open trophies (10), Masters 1,000 (38) and ATP Finals (6). Nobody adds more gimped in big events, 67 between majors, Finals, Masters and Olympic Games. And it is the tennis player, man or woman, who has been number one for the most weeks (388). Those are some of his records. What is left to achieve?
- All-time record for major titles: Djokovic is now tied at 23 with Serena Williams on the global list and is one off the mark with which Margaret Court tops the list (24).
- Grand Slam: the Balkan was left three times to a single trophy to win the four Slams in the same year, in 2011, 2015 and 2021. In the first two years he missed Roland Garros. Two years ago, this record, which was only achieved by Rod Laver (1962 and 1969), Margaret Court (1970) and Steffi Graf (1988), narrowly escaped him, when he lost the US Open final against Daniil Medvedev. In 2023, Wimbledon and the American tournament remain.
- Titles at Wimbledon: Nole is a seven-time champion at the All England Tennis Club. He is only surpassed by Roger Federer, with eight wins. This season he can match the feat of the Swiss, already retired.
- Hard court titles: In this section he also fights with Federer, who added 71, and is, with 67, only four behind the Swiss. A margin that he can resolve in his favor.
- Total titles: This is perhaps one of the most difficult, since Djokovic has always said that he wants to focus a lot on the Slams. Jimmy Connors has the best mark with 109, ahead of Federer’s 103. Novak is tied with Ivan Lendl at 94, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he pushed the machine to outplay them all.
- Olympic gold: the great thorn in his career, the only great award that he does not have and that Nadal can boast of. He will try to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, the last great challenge, which he will also have to face, at Roland Garros and on clay. He has not even been a finalist. The best result of him was the bronze in Beijing 2008.
- 400 weeks as number one: It is a curious challenge, even if it is only about extending your own record. It would be the first to pass that round number. That of consecutive weeks seems practically impossible, because this Monday a new one begins and Federer established it at 217. But in the case of the hungry lion of Belgrade, anything can be.
2023-06-13 04:11:35
#challenges #remain #insatiable #Djokovic
