On the 2023 French Open, Novak Djokovic achieved the subsequent unimaginable feat in tennis historical past by profitable a file 23 majors within the males’s sport.
Certainly, he’s now the favorite to win Wimbledon and will even full the calendar grand slam by profitable the US Open in September.
His uncooked capacity, return of serve and excessive flexibility are the bedrock of a constant and fruitful profession that has lasted 20 years. This must be celebrated.
In comparison with his closest rivals, Djokovic has surpassed Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer on many ranges. He has gained extra grand slams and has a profitable head-to-head match file towards each.
Djokovic has achieved additional data that the opposite two gamers haven’t – holding all grand slam titles without delay (Wimbledon 2015 – Roland Garros 2016), profitable every grand slam a minimum of thrice, profitable every 9 Masters 1000 titles a minimum of twice, and spending probably the most weeks – 387 – because the world primary.
However one factor that Djokovic lacks compared is the extent of fandom that Nadal and Federer skilled.
To make sure, Djokovic does have his supporters, and there are tens of millions of them. However in contrast to Nadal and Federer, Djokovic appears to draw a gradual drip of controversy, adverse press protection and a bunch of tennis viewers who’re actively towards Djokovic’s additional success.
Little doubt, his supporters, by way of numbers, considerably outweigh his detractors, however it’s odd that somebody so profitable may very well be so disliked within the sport.
Djokovic Accomplished a second Golden Masters in 2020
Within the burgeoning days of his profession, Djokovic upset the Nadal-Federer rivalry that followers cherished a lot. Till 2008, Djokovic by no means gained a serious, and the primary occasion in tennis was neatly segmented into two opposing enjoying types; the magnificence and beauty of Federer, matched with Nadal’s uncooked physicality and grinding willpower.
Quickly after the gifted Djokovic gained the 2008 Australian Open, it was clear the tennis panorama may very well be redrawn, even when the Nadal-Federer rivalry reached its zenith within the Spaniard’s 2008 Wimbledon ultimate victory, generally seen as the best tennis match ever performed.
Then from 2011 – 2012, from Wimbledon to the Australian Open, Djokovic would beat Nadal in 3 successive grand slam finals.
Additional pains for “Fedal” followers have been attributable to Djokovic beating the opposite two gamers in their very own yard. For all intents and functions, the Swiss was the grasp at Wimbledon, profitable an eventual file eight titles. But Djokovic conquered supposedly the perfect grass court docket participant of all time in each Wimbledon ultimate they met; 2014, 2015 and 2019.
Djokovic vs Federer, Wimbledon 2019
Equally, Nadal created the spine of his success as the best clay court docket participant. Djokovic’s impression on Nadal was much less extreme than on Federer. Nonetheless, he stays the one man to beat him twice at Roland Garros (2015 and 2021), together with six victories towards Nadal in clay Masters 1000 tournaments.
Impressively, Djokovic snapped Nadal’s 8-year maintain over the Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo occasion in 2013 to win the title.
For others, a three-way competitors is extra attention-grabbing, whereas Federer and Nadal have brazenly mentioned that, together with one another, the arrival of Djokovic pressured them to get higher.
Djokovic vs Nadal, Monte-Carlo 2013
It may very well be argued that Djokovic hasn’t helped his reputation both. That’s not to say that debate about key problems with our time (like a worldwide pandemic) needs to be discouraged.
And why shouldn’t Djokovic be capable of voice his opinion like some other particular person? However he has been concerned in a sequence of occasions that some regard as controversies, or at greatest, adherence to weird beliefs or fads.
The supply of those occasions has primarily revolved round his views on Covid-19 and its preventative steering. In 2019, he helped type the Skilled Tennis Gamers Affiliation to handle the so-called shortcomings of the ATP, WTA and ITF in a shock breakaway.
In 2020 he organised the Adria Tour, which resulted in numerous gamers being contaminated with Covid-19, together with Djokovic and his spouse, Jelena.
Later in 2020, he was defaulted from the US Open for unintentionally hanging a line decide’s throat with a ball. In 2022 he was deported from Australia after a authorized battle over his non-vaccinated standing.
In 2023 he stirred the ire of the French authorities by commenting on the continued Kosovo independence query.
Djokovic is Defaulted from the 2020 US Open
Naturally, not everybody thinks these episodes reveal one thing adverse about Djokovic, or a minimum of they agree along with his fundamental argument.
For some, he’s the sufferer of dangerous luck, nervous Canberra politicians and a society that takes epidemiological recommendation from their authorities prime facie.
Additional, too, is the concept animosity towards Djokovic has been cultivated out of its pure stage (no matter that could be) by a hostile, predominately Western press.
Clutching on the slightest trace of impropriety, journalists back-catalogue Djokovic’s previous misdemeanours with shock headlines within the pursuit of clicks and revenue.
Past the defending followers of Djokovic are tennis gamers themselves. Djokovic has garnered huge skilled and private respect from the locker room. He’s not an remoted determine on the tour, with such pals as Grigor Dimitrov, Alexander Zverev and Filip Krajinovic.
For professionals and high-level faculty gamers alike, Djokovic is seen as a “participant’s participant” – having the sort of delicate approach on his serve, footwork and backhand that college students of the sport pay shut consideration to.
Djokovic (together with the game’s statistical revolution) has additionally affected fashionable teaching frameworks, with a brand new emphasis on high-percentage tennis and lowering unforced errors.
Younger youngsters are unaffected by the media information cycle and proudly put on Djokovic’s equipment and even proclaim his title as their very own as they hit tender orange observe balls within the sunshine with pals or mother and father.
Djokovic’s philanthropic impression in Serbia has additionally been felt, with the Novak Djokovic Basis aiming to enhance preschool schooling. €15,000,000 has been donated by his charity, serving to roughly 53,000 youngsters.
Djokovic is the preeminent superstar in his homeland, being a worldwide ambassador for a Serbia that in any other case has comparatively little worldwide illustration or clout. He’s additionally a vibrant mild in his nation’s historical past after a long time of upheaval and violence following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Djokovic is ceaselessly handled as tennis’s villain off the again of his controversies. However I don’t consider he’s essentially fabricated from evil stuff. He doesn’t want anybody ailing or perpetrate any crimes.
Djokovic has a set of beliefs which might be usually within the minority and correspondingly conflict with the consensus view.
Generally these beliefs are innocently (and even naively) held. Sometimes they’ve hostile results. Holding the Adria Tour, for instance, was, in hindsight, not the perfect concept.
Hitting the road decide was a mistake however a tournament-ending mistake, however. Although Djokovic doesn’t imply to, he has, in impact, upset many individuals within the tennis world and past. But, at his core, he’s not a foul man.
The saddest factor about Djokovic is maybe he at all times wished the gang’s affection however by no means acquired it. As a substitute, he resolved to play the antihero, attempting to carve out some sense {of professional} id in a task handed to him by a big group of followers and observers. In doing so, he has reached new heights within the sport.
The mixed world view of Djokovic is combined. He’s without delay a troublemaker and an inspiration, a technical mannequin and a non-conformist, a rogue and a hero.
Whereas he continues to divide opinion in tennis, he’s, firstly, an important champion of our sport.
What are your views on Djokovic? Is he extra of a hero than a villain? And does he trigger his personal controversy, or does the media principally stir it? Depart your feedback under.
