Novak Djokovic set to outdo Roger Federer yet again to back up GOAT argument | Tennis | Sport
Novak Djokovic looks very likely to outdo Roger Federer once more in 2024. The Serb won his 24th Grand Slam on Sunday by defeating Daniil Medvedev to win the US Open. That means he has won four more majors than the legendary Federer and two more than fellow tennis icon Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic refused to put a number on how many Slams wants to win before he retires. But it is clear the 36-year-old remains at the peak of his powers having reached the final in all of the last five major tournaments in which he has competed in.
The only one of those five that he has lost was Wimbledon this year, when he was bested by Carlos Alcaraz on Centre Court. That defeat stopped him from being the first man to complete a Calendar Slam since Rod Laver in 1969.
He has won three Slams in a single season three times in his career and his latest was achieved at the age of 36 years and three months. Federer, meanwhile, was the second-oldest player ever to win a Slam when he won the Australian Open in 2018 at 36 years and six months.
And given Djokovic will be older than that when the ATP Tour rocks up to Melbourne at the start of 2024, he has the chance to outdo the Swiss legend. Ken Rosewall remains the oldest ever Grand Slam champion after winning in Australia aged 37 years and two months back in 1972.
Given Djokovic’s supreme form, very few would back against him winning another Slam – if not multiple – next year or before he retires. And winning any of the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon or the US Open in 2024 would see him become a major champion at an older age than Federer.
That would give him yet more credibility in the ‘Greatest Of All Time’ debate, which he is winning by a margin now. Djokovic has the most Slams (24), the most weeks as world No 1 (310), the most year-end world No 1s (seven), the most Masters 1000 titles (39) and has the joint-most ATP Finals triumphs (six – tied with Federer).
Djokovic’s coach Goran Ivanisevic has even hinted he plans to play until the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. And Djokovic said after his fourth career Flushing Meadows success: “I’m going to keep going. You know, I feel good in my own body. I still feel I got the support of my environment, of my team, of my family.
“Grand Slams, I have vocalised that in the last few years, have been always the highest goal and the priority of mine in the whole season. I don’t play as much in terms of other tournaments, so I try to prioritise my preparation so that I can peak in Slams.
“Yeah, these are the moments and these are the kind of emotions that I motivate myself with every single day when I’m not playing a tournament. Occasionally asking myself, why do I need this still at this stage after all I have done, you know? How long do I want to keep going? I do have these questions in my head, of course.
“But knowing that I play at such a high level still and I win the biggest tournaments in this sport, yeah, I don’t want to get rid of this sport or I don’t want to leave this sport if I’m still at the top, you know, if I’m still playing the way I’m playing.”
