Thoughts on Novak Djokovic

There is a very strong chance no one will have his resume ever again. 24 slams and counting, 7 year-end championships, and now the Olympic Gold. History was made at Philippe Chatrier, an unlikely place for Novak to do it, considering that there was another man for whom this court has been a kiddie playground for almost twenty years. Novak Djokovic has always been an interesting player to me, he’s definitely the greatest, but it feels like he needs to do something more than win for him to be in the debate with Federer and Rafa.

I remember reading an article about Rafael Nadal sometime ago where the writer was talking about how Rafa was perpetually in second place all his career (apart from in Roland Garros, and a couple of years here and there). First to Roger Federer and then to Novak Djokovic. The writer wondered how it must feel to always be the person that comes up short. How it must feel to always die at the end of the book.

With Novak, it is quite a different question. He has always been second favourite, first to the Roger-Rafa fans and now with the Sinner-Alcaraz fans. He is continually the anti-hero for the crowds. How must it feel when everyone is rooting for you to die at the end of the book?

Maybe that is why he fights so hard. Maybe it is when his back is against the wall, that he becomes Novak Djokovic.