🗣️ Steve Johnson on Novak Djokovic:
"I was very bullish on Novak the last six weeks when he was saying, ‘I want to make the ATP Finals’. I was thinking he is going to make it; it’s Novak. Why would I think otherwise? He wins Beijing, and then you think Novak is right here. Not a great loss in Shanghai after that; loses to Struff, loses to Rinky Hijikata. I think it’s official for me that Novak is not in contention for any big tournaments anymore. I’m done. You never count him out, but I am starting to feel like 25 is not happening."
May Novak prove you wrong...
It's been less than 10 months since Djokovic defeated peak Sinner at the Australian Open
There are also reports from Italy today that Sinner is still feeling pain in his knee and that surgery hasn't been ruled out, which would sideline him for up to 6 months or more.
If anyone can shock the world at almost 40 years old, it's Novak Djokovic...
One of the biggest myths in tennis is that Nadal was more dominant in Grand Slams than Djokovic.
At the exact moment Novak Djokovic won his 24th Grand Slam (2023), the conversion rates were:
Djokovic: 24 Grand Slams out of 72 played (33.33%).
Nadal: 22 Grand Slams out of 67 played (32.84%).
Djokovic's peak was not only greater, but he also didn't distort and inflate his numbers by skipping events he was never going to win.
Nadal often avoided losses by withdrawing from events he couldn't win. This protected his Grand Slam conversion rate and prevented his winning percentage from declining.
Djokovic, by contrast, almost never skipped events he couldn't win. He took the losses, even while he was injured, which significantly hurt his statistics.
What's also interesting is that Nadal almost never skipped clay-court events — especially Roland Garros — which allowed him to keep padding his numbers on his strongest surface while avoiding the others.
It's actually remarkable that Djokovic still holds records such as the highest winning percentage in men's tennis history given all of this.
I just realized there's a very real possibility that Novak Djokovic could lose a really big record in 2027: the highest winning percentage in men's tennis history.
The current totals:
1. 🇷🇸 Djokovic 82.97%
2. 🇪🇸 Nadal 82.57%
If he has another season similar to 2026, it would put him extremely close to Nadal.
I'm not saying he should play less or stop competing just to protect his records. But it would be a real shame to see him lose some of these extraordinary records — built during his prime — only for them to disappear as he plays into his 40s. It would create a distorted picture of reality, given how dominant he was during his prime.
🗣️ Jim Courier and Greg Rusedski on Novak Djokovic:
Courier: “My biggest question is where does he want to end his career? You know, does he have sort of that picture-perfect finish? I know he’s said publicly many times that the Olympics is where he wants to end his career, and maybe that is where it’ll be."
Rusedski: "I think with Novak, play as long as you want. The guy’s an absolute legend. He’s the greatest of all time. I know we can look at numbers, but his longevity and the level he’s playing at 39 years of age. So let’s enjoy him for as long as he wants to keep playing. He still had a great season and we hope he continues for many years.”
Interviewer: "Which tennis player would you most like to be your coach?"
Jessica Pegula: "Novak Djokovic. He's the best tennis player ever. I'd like to know what goes through his head tactically during a match."
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I see some tennis journalists proclaiming Carlos Alcaraz the GOAT every time he wins a title or a great point.
Recency bias is one thing, but this is totally disrespectful to past champions like the Big 3, especially Novak Djokovic, who dominated much stronger competition and has the greatest years and achievements in tennis history.
I just find it disingenuous.
Interviewer: "Who is the best men's tennis player of all time?"
Alcaraz: "Novak Djokovic"
Zverev: "Novak Djokovic"
Cobolli: "Novak Djokovic"
Mensik: "Novak Djokovic"
Tien: "Novak Djokovic"
Fritz: "Novak Djokovic"
🤝 Paid partnership
