Novak Djokovicwith 38 years, he is the third best player of the season, behind Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and tied with Alexander Zverev. Of course, the Serbian has played 11 tournaments, 8 less than the German. It would be a luxury position for almost anyone, but we are talking about Djokovic, the tennis player with the best record in history. The Serbian legend has had many challenges that seemed impossible throughout their career, and almost all conquered them. Some can be listed.
The incredible comeback to Federer and Nadal
At the end of 2010, the rivalry between Nadal and Federer was in full boiling. The Swiss had 16 Grand Slams in his record and Spanish, nine. Nole appeared far behind “only” with one. Moreover, that same course, after losing with Melzer in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros a match that was winning for two sets to zero, Belgrade was passed through the head. «I wanted to leave tennis because I saw everything black. He had won in Australia in 2008, he was number three in the world, but he was not happy. I knew I could do more, but lost the most important matches against Federer and Nadal, ”he acknowledged in an interview in” Sky Sport. ” After mourning what he did was find solutions, changes such as diet, remove gluten, among other things. In the next decade, the “comeback” was incredible: in 2020, Nadal and Federer were tied 20 “great”, but Novak already appeared with 17. And after the pandemic, Nole finished off his work, to reach 24, two more than the Balearic and four more than the Helvetic. On that road, he defeated Federer in three Wimbledon finals, especially remembered that of 2019, in which he raised two party points to the rest in the fifth set. Nadal maintained his domain in Roland Garros, where he concluded his career only with four losses … but two went with Novak, the tennis player who most times managed to defeat Rafa both in general (31 of 60) and in whipped land (9 of 29). In 2011, 2015, 2021 and 2023, Djokovic added the Grand Slams of three by three, to achieve the “sorpasso.”
Number one, the Olympic gold …
Also in those years he became the first tennis player (and remains the only one) in win all 1,000 masters at least once (and two) And in which More weeks has been number one in the world (428)breaking a record of Roger (310) that seemed unattainable. His last great feat was to win in the summer of 2024 the Olympic gold in Paris, the great success that was still resisted.
With his two great retired rivals, he seemed to have run out of challenges, but he has determined to have another, seeing that Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz (Spanish defeated him in that Olympic final) are now better than him. His 38 years have punished this course in general, and especially in tournaments to five two -week sets, the Grand Slams, which are actually the only ones who maintain their motivation. He arrives with the right rounds, where he has to face the two dominators of the moment. In Australia he gave him to beat Carlos, but later retired against Zverev for injury. From there, it has been pure helplessness for him: in the Semifinals of Roland Garros could Jannik in three sets, the same as in Wimbledon, when he reflected: «As much as he takes care of me, reality hits me (…) I don’t know what I can do differently, due to the amount of hours I dedicate daily to take care of myself. I would like to challenge everyone who participates in the circuit to see if someone takes care of me more than me. But unfortunately, I have no reward for that right now, with the injuries in the last stages of the Grand Slams ». He talked about making some change. He did not compete until the US Open, where he stumbled upon the same stone, this time against Alcaraz: “I have run out of energy in the third set.” Carlos rules in the face to face in Grand Slams with Serbian 3-2. Jannik has hit him hard as almost anyone: five victories in a row (Nadal also succeeded, between 2008 and 2009) since November 2023when he surpassed him in the Davis Cup saving three match balls. In the four later duels, the Serbian has only won a set.
“I’m not going to give up”
Nole’s last great was in 2023. “I’m not going to give up,” Novak Challenge after his participation in New York. And confirmed that in 2026 he would try again. You will have one more year and the reality is that to get your Grand Slam number 25 The logical thing, if there are no injuries or low, is that you do not have to win only one of the two, Alcaraz or Sinner, but that you have to defeat boththat will go on roads other than the painting if they maintain the one and two of the world, as they seem to do, because they have a lot of advantage.
