Novak Djokovic: The GOAT Tennis Player of Our Era

Now that Novak Djokovic has won his 23rd grand slam, it’s time to set the record straight and give this man the credit he deserves. While some fans may harp on about Roger Federer’s unbeatable elegance or Rafael Nadal’s precision on clay, the numbers don’t lie. If you breakdown Djokovic’s entire track record, tennis players past and present all fail to match his wins, with many comparing his success to that of Michael Jordan, when he dominated the world of basketball in the 1990s.

Undeniably, he’s the GOAT, and Novak is here to stay – whether people like it or not. But you gotta hand it to him, he definitely doesn’t let people walk all over him, and that’s truly commendable. He stood his ground when he didn’t want to get vaccinated, even won a court case against the Australian government, so good on him for sticking to his guns.

Besides, his diehard fans have always stuck by him, no matter the circumstance. And you best believe they placed a few bets using new AU online gambling sites that provide sportsbook services!

Career Breakdown

The Serbian tennis star first caught the attention of spectators at the 2007 U.S. Open, when the then-20-year-old player made it to his first major final. He ultimately lost to Federer, who had already established himself as a force on the court; however, he cemented his status as a player to watch, launching a career that would see his name intertwined with the Swiss native as well as Spain’s Nadal for years to come.

While Djokovic played an impressive match, it was actually his charisma that captivated the New York crowds, charming audiences with post-match impressions of some of the biggest names in tennis. He also provided the western media with insights into his childhood growing up in the middle of the war-torn Balkans in the 1990s, making his journey to the US all the more impressive.

This past June, Djokovic made history by winning the most major singles titles in history thanks to his victory at the French Open. Throughout his impressive career, the tennis novice has won the Australian Open 10 times, Wimbledon 7 times, the US Open 3 times, and Roland Garros 3 times. Djokovic has also won each of the Masters 1000 events twice, which has never been accomplished by any other player in the history of tennis. The now 36-year-old is also the oldest player since 1986 to ever secure a victory on the soil of the Philippe Chatrier, breaking Nadal’s record by 18 days. This latest victory puts Djokovic back on top despite his age, proving naysayers wrong once again.

Controversy

Unfortunately for Djokovic, controversy tends to follow him everywhere, with incidents both on and off the court often dominating headlines instead of his wins. Last year, the tennis player caused quite a stir when he attempted to participate in the Australian Open without having received a COVID-19 vaccination. The global spectacle resulted in the Serb being removed from the country following 10 days of back-and-forth negotiations, harming Djokovic’s public image even further. Not only was he not allowed to compete in Australia, but he was also not allowed to set foot in the United States for the remainder of that year, causing the tennis pro to miss the U.S. Open as well.

His latest incident happened at Roland Garros, where the narrative was dominated by Djokovic sparking a political row after writing “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia” on a camera while also championing for peace. The tennis pro also posted a photo of his message on his Instagram story, receiving criticism from the Kosovo Tennis Federation and the French minister of sport, Amelie Oudea-Castera. His comments, albeit inappropriate, were in regards to the political uprisings happening in Kosovo following the local elections in April. Serbs make up the majority of the population and view Belgrade, where Djokovic grew up, as their capital.

What’s Next?

With 23 Slam titles to Djokovic’s name, could he have the chance to win another by the end of this year? The odds are definitely in his favor, especially since he doesn’t seem to slow down with age. Critics suggest that he has another 4 good years left in him before he hangs up his racket for good, so we can expect more records to be broken in the imminent future as he not only solidifies his status as the GOAT of tennis but as one of the greatest athletes of all time.