Novak Djokovic reached the barrier of 23 Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros on Sunday and still seems poised to pulverize some of tennis’ statistical limits.
After winning Roland Garros, where is Djokovic’s ceiling?
“I’m still motivated, I feel inspired to play the best tennis in these tournaments, in the Grand Slams. They are the ones that count the most in the history of our sport. I’m looking forward to Wimbledon already,” said the Serb after winning his third Parisian Grand Slam.
The Grand Slam tournaments
In three weeks, Djokovic will go into Wimbledon as the overwhelming favorite, where he will be aiming for an eighth title to equal Federer’s record on the London grass (only Martina Navratilova has 9 wins). Since his defeat in the quarters in 2017, he has not lost in that ‘Grande’, or in other words, four titles and 28 matches won in a row.
Djokovic could therefore equal the absolute record of 24 Grand Slam titles held by Margaret Court. Then comes the US Open, on hard surface, his favorite, although New York has ‘only’ smiled on him on three occasions.
And at the beginning of next year he could return to the Australian Open as favorite for an eleventh title in Melbourne. How many more Grand Slam tournaments can he win? “He will find the motivation to win 24, maybe 25. Who knows where he will stop?” wonders his coach Goran Ivanisevic.
The Grand Slam
Conquering all four Grand Slam tournaments in the same year, which no one has done in the men’s category since Rod Laver in 1969… is what would elevate Djokovic beyond comparison for a long time.
The Serb had a chance to achieve it in 2021 but failed to be at his level in the US Open final lost to Daniil Medvedev. “He was one win away two years ago, there’s a chance this year,” Ivanisevic reckons.
A record 7th Masters
He shares with Federer the record of six wins at the Masters, which brings together the eight best players of the season each year.
A seventh title would allow him to become the only holder of that record. Undoubtedly an extra motivation for him when the time comes, although he always insists that it is the Grand Slam tournaments that motivate him the most.
109 tour titles
It is perhaps Jimmy Connors’ record (set in Tel Aviv in 1989) that seems most elusive. Djokovic is at 94, like Ivan Lendl, and has Federer’s 103 titles in his sights.
Since the 2006 season, when he won his first ATP tournament, the Serb has won an average of five a year. At that rate, he could reach Connors’ level by 2026.
The main uncertainty, his body
At 36, his body is still surprisingly efficient. Carlos Alcaraz paid with physical problems for the energetic game imposed on him by Djokovic in the last semifinals in Paris.
“I think he still has a lot in the engine,” Ivanisevic revealed. “I don’t know how much time he has left, but his body is incredible, he stays in super shape. He doesn’t get injured too much, little things here, little things there, but no major injuries. He still moves like a ninja on the track, he’s everywhere. It’s fascinating to watch him.
He believes that “age is just a number,” acknowledging that his body, which he takes meticulous care of, has been “reacting differently” for some time now.
