How did Novak Djokovic become the King Of Tennis? The quest to become the greatest player ever has driven Novak Djokovic, who on Sunday won his fourth US Open and equaled the all-time record with his 24th Grand Slam victory.
After defeating Daniil Medvedev at Flushing Meadows, the Serb moved two Slams ahead of his fierce rival Rafael Nadal in the standings of men’s Slam winners.
This was his third major victory of 2023. Being the best is important to Djokovic, 36, and he is very aware of his place in tennis history.
He also keeps ploughing on through the highs and lows because it is “a great school of life”.
“I would like to send a message to every young person out there. I was a seven-year-old dreaming that I could win Wimbledon and be world no.1 one day,” he has said.
“I am beyond grateful but I feel I had the power to create my own destiny. I believe it and feel it with every cell in my body. Be in the present moment, forget about the past. If you want a better future, you create it.”
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However, while Nadal and the retired Roger Federer are well-liked, Djokovic still causes controversy.
His incredible on-court accomplishments have frequently been overshadowed by errors and failures off the court.
He wrote “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia” on a courtside TV camera lens at the French Open this year as ethnic tensions in the Balkans were once more on the rise.
He was booed for fist-pumping on the Roland Garros court as his rival Carlos Alcaraz wilted from cramps during the semifinal match.
Djokovic continues to ignore the criticism.
“I don’t mind. It’s not the first; probably not the last. I’ll just keep winning,” said Djokovic.
His refusal to receive the Covid vaccine was his most contentious act, and it resulted in Djokovic’s deportation from Melbourne on the eve of the 2022 Australian Open.
He was also denied entry to the United States and unable to participate in the US Open the previous year due to his unyielding stance on the vaccine.
Even before that, the Serb seemed destined never to be regarded with the same reverence as Federer or Nadal, the undisputed champions of the people.
Some people think Djokovic’s persona is overly calculated; they perceive him as an intense, brooding presence prone to affectation.
A glimpse of his fiery personality was revealed by his infamous default from the US Open in 2020 for petulantly swiping at a ball that struck a female line judge.
And some of his personal beliefs have come under fire. For example, his assertion that positive thinking could change the chemical composition of food and water raised some questions.
However, the career achievements and resolve of a player who was the first to smash through the $150 million prize-money barrier cannot be doubted.
How did Novak Djokovic become the King Of Tennis?
“He’s a genius,” Djokovic’s coach Goran Ivanisevic said Sunday. “He’s one of kind. Not too many people in this world like him, sport-wise.
“He’s a born winner. For him, when you tell him he cannot do something, it’s even worse. Then he’s going to show you that he can do it.
“It’s no excuses. He always try to find a way how to win, how to fight, even when he’s not feeling well, injured, not injured.”
Djokovic won the first of his 24 major championships at the Australian Open in 2008. He fled Belgrade when he was 12 years old to train in Munich and avoid NATO’s bombardment of his home city.
Before he added his second, he waited three years.
He stopped eating gluten, which enabled him to pursue lost causes thanks to his lean physique and made him the tennis equivalent of the rubber man with a rock-solid defence.
He had a fantastic year in 2011, taking home three of the four Slams and rising to the top spot for the first time.
He has won four US Open championships, three French Opens, 10 Australian Opens, and seven Wimbledons. He is the only man to have at least three major victories.
His 389 weeks as the number one in the world and his 39 Masters victories are both records.
In his quest to be regarded as the greatest, time also seems to be on his side.
Federer has since announced his retirement, while Nadal, 37, will miss the remainder of the season due to a hip injury that could render him permanently disabled.
In addition, Djokovic exhibits little physical wear and tear; 12 of his 24 Grand Slam victories have occurred after he turned 30.
