The debate has begun, again who is the greatest man to wield the tennis racquet. No, this is not a debate raised just by the hardcore tennis lovers and writers, but sporting fans at large.
Hours after Novak Djokovic showed purpose, poise and punch to shut out Stefanos Tsitsipas in a five-set gut-wrencher on the brick red Parisian clay at the French Open final, one runs out of adjectives to relive and describe the moments.
It was a match between two gladiators for sure, one with tons of experience from Serbia and the other combatant in his maiden Grand Slam final. In the end, after five sets of hard tennis, which lasted 4 hours and 11 minutes, if it resembled a Greek Tragedy, it is not being disrespectful to Tsitsipas.
Tennis needs fresh faces. Tennis needs new characters. And in Tsitsipas, men’s tennis has found a new challenger who can become a champion. He played brilliant in the first two sets. His body language was like that of a purring Ferrari smooth and the tennis was sublime, like the best Single Malt you can buy.
Yet, to keep play going at the same pace and outsmarting Djpkovic was a big ask. One thought, Djokovic was tired after the emotional triumph against King of Clay, Rafael Nadal in the semi-final. But then, Djokovic, who now holds 19 Grand Slam titles, again showed he is strong in every sense. Djokovic’s physique resembles that of a tennis player who worships his body like a temple. Mentally, he is as serene as a monk in meditation in the Himalayas.
In Paris, it’s usually Nadal who is the favourite, given his penchant for play on clay and possessing the most natural game for the red surface. Once Djokovic had deflated Nadal, there was no way he was going to give up. In his own words, the last 48 hours have been crazy for him. Yet, the Serb is not the sort of player who will party for a week. He will be focussing again on his game.
This win means the most to Djoker in many years after having been subjected to enormous flak in 2020 for his Adria Tour misadventure when many players contracted Covid 19. In addition, one cannot forget he was scratched from the US Open last September after hitting a tennis player with the ball. He was disgraced, despite the apology. Those who shredded him then are now swinging paeans, Yours Truly included!
How Djokovic has shaped up in 2021 is a beautiful story where competing on the tennis tour during the pandemic is so tough. Day in and day out players are tested for Corona virus. There are restrictions at every stage and the player cannot be flippant. These are all factors which heavily weigh on a player, mentally.
Well, Djokovic has shown, yet again, he is the master when it comes to mental games. He was getting whacked in the first two sets. He rebooted, like the press of a button and came up with some magic tennis. In a match where there were plenty of drop shots executed by either player, it was Djokovic who showed he was going to use this to more devastating effect (47-42).
It is common to see a drop shot as a change shot to alter the pattern of play. Perhaps, with both the players showing aggression and geometry in stroke production from the baseline on clay, the drop shot came in handy. One, it makes the opponent rush faster and harder to the net. Two, it is not easy to do those sorties to the net as most players wear shoes which are better suited for running from side to side and slide on clay.
Great tactics call for being a great tactician. On Sunday night, Djoker showed it and a large heart as well when he presented his racquet to a fan inside the arena after winning the match.
Now comes, the debate. At 34, and one Grand Slam title behind Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (20 each), Djokovic looks well placed and equipped to win a few more Grand Slam titles. His game is all-round, though, I would personally think the Serbian is very hot on hard courts.
In 2021, there are two more chances for him to win two more Grand Slam titles. Wimbledon is not the same as before, where the grass is now slower, the ball is heavier and conditions not like the old days when a certain Pete Sampras could slay opponents with simple serve-and-volley.
The Wimbledon grass is still green, no doubt, but to serve harder and faster is now more difficult as the ball in use is heavier. Maybe, Djokovic can do a repeat of the 2019 Big W final where he triumphed over Federer.
Where does that position Djokovic vis a vis Tokyo Olympics. If the organisers are going to insist on “vaccine must policy” he may not go. Djokovic is fussy about very few things but to imagine him take the jab is hard.
So, is Djokovic going to become GOAT (Greatest of All Time)?
The debate, till Saturday, was between Federer and Nadal. All of a sudden, Djokovic has barged in and thrown his candidature for the GOAT title. Wish it was as simple as Muhammad Ali being declared the greatest ever in boxing.
Tennis fans have their own picks on GOAT. For me, Pistol Pete was the greatest till Federer came along in 2003 at Big W. Then, Nadal made me a convert, And if tennis has its own way of proselytising, I suppose Djoker will bring about a change in me again.
My faith is be tennis but belief can change. And that is what these three men — Federer, Nadal and Djoker — have done to me.