INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
He divides the tennis fans right down the middle - either you love him or you hate him, there is no middle ground
But you surely can't ignore him.Undoubtedly one of the greatest athletes of all time, Novak Djokovic is the epitome of hard work and mental
His confidence is unaffected despite controversies and it is driven by his determination to be the greatest ever.On Sunday, Djokovic, who
won a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title at French Open, left his greatest rival Rafael Nadal behind
He now has the most number of major titles among male players in tennis history.Also, with his third title at Roland Garros, Djokovic became
the only male tennis player ever to win all the four Slams at least thrice
The 36-year-old, who became the oldest winner in Paris since 1968 (breaking Nadal's record by 18 days), is back on the top of the tennis
rankings again, extending his record stay as No.1 player (this is his 388th week on top)
Djokovic also has not lost any physical edge despite his age - 11 of his 23 majors have come after he turned 30.The numbers are indisputable
and they don't lie.1/15French Open: Novak Djokovic claims record 23rd Grand SlamPreviousNextShow Captionslt;p>Novak Djokovic created history
on Sunday when he captured a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title with a third French Open triumph, reinforcing his case to be crowned the
greatest player of all time.lt;p>The 36-year-old Serb brushed off an early wobble to defeat Casper Ruud of Norway 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 7-5 and
snap the tie of 22 Slams he shared with career-long rival Rafael Nadal
lt;p>Victory for the third time in Paris, after 2016 and 2021, adds to Djokovic's 10 Australian Open titles, seven at Wimbledon and three
at the US Open.lt;p>Djokovic is the first man to win all four majors at least three times and is once again halfway to the first calendar
Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969.lt;p>There is little sign of Djokovic slowing down and he is now the oldest French Open champion but 11
of his Slam trophies have now been won after he turned 30.lt;p>Djokovic was playing in his seventh French Open final and boasted a 4-0
career record over Ruud, not having lost a single set
lt;p>However, Ruud was the more composed of the two at the start, sprinting out of the blocks for a 2-0 lead when Djokovic shanked an
lt;p>Ruud stretched to 3-0 and 4-1 before Djokovic retrieved the break in the seventh game when his opponent buried an easy smash into the
net with an open court begging
lt;p>Djokovic missed a break point in the ninth game, tumbling to the red clay as he chased down a Ruud drive.lt;p>Fired up, Djokovic then
raced through the tiebreak, sealing the opener with a running forehand
lt;p>Tellingly, that was Djokovic's sixth tiebreak at this French Open and in none of them had he committed a single unforced error in the
55 points contested.lt;p>Djokovic broke for 2-0 in the second set and despite Ruud saving two set points in the eighth game, the Serb moved
closer to his dream.lt;p>Ruud saved a break point in the third game of the third set before Djokovic was hit with a warning for taking too
lt;p>Djokovic then broke for love at 6-5 and sealed his place in history when Ruud went wide
If records and Slam titles are the benchmark by which the G.O.A.T debate is settled, then Djokovic is the greatest male player of all time
23 Grand Slam singles titles, 34 major finals, most weeks at World No.1, 38 Masters titles, 6 ATP Finals titles -- and it all adds up to one
thing, Djokovic is currently peerless.So, is it safe to say - Novak Djokovic is the greatest of all time? The numbers say so as former
is a number that just a few years back was impossible to think about, and you made it!"Djokovic though left the question on GOAT status to
others, saying it is disrespectful towards all the great champions in different eras of tennis."I mean, I don't want to say that I am the
was played in a completely different way than it is played today," he said after the final in Paris."I feel like each great champion of his
own generation has left a huge mark, a legacy, and paved the way for us to be able to play this sport on such a great stage worldwide."So,
when can we call him the GOAT, if not now? He has 23 Slam titles now, the most by a male player ever, and is tied second overall across
genders with Serena Williams
The two are only one title behind yesteryear's great Margaret Court, who had won 24 singles slam titles.There are very few doubters that
Djokovic will breach the 24-mark this year itself
And with Nadal out of the picture for the entire season, even a calendar Slam is within reach for Djokovic this year
Going by his fitness levels, he should have another 3-4 years of top-level tennis left in him, excluding the current year
And even if we conservatively count his possible Grand Slam wins during the period, he could end up winning 10 more titles, which could take
Very few people would hesitate in calling him the G.O.A.T then.
