Djokovic: “My father tells me: ‘Enough’”

Barring a miracle, they can now put Djokovic’s name in this Australian Open

Rod Laver, in 2024

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On more than one occasion, Carlos Alcaraz (21) has said:

–I want to be the best tennis player in history.

When they share that reflection with him, Novak Djokovic (37) leans his body back, smiles and is true to himself. He says exactly what he thinks:

–I respect that type of mentality, like: ‘Hey, I think I have what it takes.’ But perhaps it is still a little early to think about history – the Serbian responded weeks ago, during an interview offered to Daniel Riley in Montenegro and published in the magazine GQ .

(…)

What a world of tennis.

This is the theater of egos and the paradise of mythomaniacs, a sport as universal as it is individualistic, it is bait for statesmen, who point out figures and make us dizzy with data.

(In reality, all elite sport is vitamin for the ego; however, reader, I invite you to take a look at the ATP or WTA bases: every time a Grand Slam is held, their press rooms display a range of numbers so vast that not even the players, the protagonists, are able to metabolize them).

“If Murray trains Djokovic it is as if Cristiano Ronaldo trained Messi.”

Daniil Medvedevtennis player

In short, if we get involved with the myths of tennis, we will have to roll up our sleeves.

Let’s see, what are Novak Djokovic’s numbers?

Well, they are summarized in a reflection, the one offered by the recently retired Rafael Nadal:

–If we focus on numbers, the best tennis player in history is Novak Djokovic.

And ready.

Since this summer, Novak Djokovic has been the GOAT, at least statistically, since he already has the icing on the cake, the milestone that was due: the individual Olympic gold.

(Roger Federer is missing that individual Olympic gold; Rafael Nadal is missing the Masters Cup title, the tournament that brings together the eight best rackets of the year).

Today the Australian Open starts, the first Grand Slam of 2025, and Djokovic, the man of the 24 majors, reinvents himself and recomposes himself and confesses, because he wants one more major, the tiebreaker with Margaret Court (82 years old; the lady of the Australian tennis has as many greats as Djokovic, both are alone at the top), in order to silence everyone, including this Alcaraz who raises his index finger when barely adds four grand.

Until recently, Murray and I kept our secrets from each other; Now, we must share everything”

Novak Djokovictennis player

–My father asks me: ‘But, what else do you want to do? My son, start thinking about how you want to end this. Enough’. I think more about the how than the when. If I start losing more, if the Grand Slam challenge becomes more of a challenge, then I’ll probably call it a day. But right now I’m fine, we continue.

And to certify his position, he hires Andy Murray as a coach, the one who was an extraordinary rival: for a time, the Big Three had been the Big FourMurray was the fourth element, it was like that until the Scotsman melted both hips and had to replace them with prostheses while his sensational performance faded.

(Eleven months ago, Pere Riba, Zheng Qinwen’s coach and Murray’s generational partner, told me: “I don’t understand how Murray is able to do everything he does, how he continues to play; not even the prostheses have been able to take him away.”) .

Well, finally Murray has already retired (he did so in 2024, like Nadal and Garbiñe Muguruza) and the Big Four is he Big Onehas been reduced to Djokovic. And yet the public aussie He rubs his hands: he very gladly pays the 25 Australian dollars (about 15 euros) that gives access to the training session.

If Djokovic shows me that he is giving everything he has, I will agree to him expressing himself however he wants.”

Andy MurrayDjokovic’s coach

From the stands, the parish attends the session.

On one side of the net, Murray contemplates Djokovic, gives him instructions.

On the other hand, answers Daniil Medvedev, another big shot in Melbourne, a Russian without a flag who has played three finals there in recent times, including the one in 2024.

(He has lost all of them).

–Imagine this –Medvedev said this week, as angry on the court as he was creative in his meditations before the pens–: if Murray trains Djokovic it is as if Cristiano Ronaldo trained Messi.

And there will be some of that.

Murray and Djokovic were two twelve-year-old boys when they already faced each other. The statesman will be unable to dive into all the crossroads that both have experienced. You will need to narrow your inspection down to the ATP statistic. On the professional circuit, Murray and Djokovic had met 36 times (between 2006 and 2022), with 25 victories for the Serbian, including four finals in Melbourne (2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016): so much do they know each other that Djokovic , these days, he joked.

–All this is very curious. Until a few months ago, Murray and I kept our own secrets from each other. But from now on we have no choice but to share them – he said.

–And if Djokovic yells at you in a match, how are you going to process it? –they ask Murray at the Rod Laver Arena.

–I want to think that I am one of the few people capable of understanding these types of situations. If Djokovic shows me that he is giving everything he has, I will agree to him expressing himself however he wants to.

(Djokovic, today seventh racket, debuts this Monday, starting at 9 a.m. Spanish, against Nishesh Basavareddy; at that same time Carlos Alcaraz also starts against Alexander Shevchenko).

The keys

1. Nadal. The Manacorí, champion in 2009 and 2022, will be the big racket absent from this edition: two months ago he confirmed his goodbye.
2. Sinner. The world leader defends his crown from last year, when he won the first of his two Grand Slam titles.
3. Alcaraz. He insists that he aims to be tennis history, like the ‘Big Three’. His best result in Melbourne is the quarterfinals in 2024.
4. Medvedev. He has played three finals in Melbourne. He has lost all of them.
5. Sabalenka. The female number 1 dominates this stage like no one else: hers are the titles of 2023 and 2024.
6. Swiatek. Unlike Sabalenka, Swiatek does not rise in Melbourne. Your best result? 2022 Semis.
7. Badosa. Responding to his back problems, Badosa seeks his best version. Today it is 12th in the world.