Having captured the final two Majors of 2018, it’s safe to say that 31-year-old Novak Djokovic is playing better tennis than anyone else right now. But perhaps more impressive is what the 14-time Grand Slam champion has recently overcome to reach this point.
It was back in July of 2017 when Djokovic announced that he would miss the next six months to recover from a painful elbow injury.
To the disappointment of his “NoleFam” supporters, the time off did little to heal the pain.
And shortly after the Australian Open, Djokovic and his team decided to undergo surgery on his elbow – which he referred to as a “small medical intervention” in an Instagram post in early February of this year.
The former World No. 1 would struggle significantly upon his return to action in March.
In his first match back, the 6’2″ inch Serbian tennis superstar would lose to qualifier Taro Daniel of Japan at Indian Wells.
His next match at the Miami Open would also end in disappointment as he was soundly defeated by Benoit Paire of France in straight sets.
However, by mid-May, Djokovic and his team had managed to right the ship.
While he came up short of winning a title, Djokovic would post strong results at the Rome Masters, the French Open, and the Fever-Tree Championships.
Of course, Djokovic would then go on to capture Wimbledon, the Western & Southern Open, and the recent US Open.
“If you told me in February this year when I got the surgery that I’ll win Wimbledon, US Open, and Cincinnati, would be hard to believe,” he said after beating Juan Martin del Potro in the finals at Flushing Meadows.
“But at the same time there was always part of me that imagined and believed and hoped that I can get back on the desired level of tennis very soon.”
The 31-year-old father of two also noted that overcoming his struggles was an eye-opening experience.
“I expected, to be honest, quite frank, after surgery that I’ll be back on a high level quite fast. But, you know, it took me actually three, four months really. In that process, I learned a lot about myself, learned to be patient, which was never really a stronger side of me,” said Djokovic after his US Open win.
“It takes time for good things, it takes time to really build them, for things to fall into place, so you can center yourself, balance yourself and thrive. The last two months have been terrific.”
With 14 Grand Slam titles, Djokovic is now tied with American tennis legend, Pete Sampras, for third most – behind only Roger Federer, who has 20, and Rafael Nadal, who has 17.
“There is a lot of significance of me being now shoulder to shoulder in terms of Grand Slam wins with him. It’s truly incredible when you think about it,” Djokovic noted.
“I watched him win one of his first Wimbledon championships, and I grew up playing and thinking that one day I’ll be able to do what he does. To actually be here, it’s a dream come true.”
Given his recent success, the question many tennis observers are now asking is how many more can he win?
And with each additional Grand Slam Djokovic captures, there will inevitably be discussion regarding his place as the greatest to play the game.
While he still trails Federer and Nadal, it is interesting to note that Djokovic has a lifetime 24-22 head-to-head record against Federer, and 27-25 record against Nadal.
Should Djokovic be able to close the gap in the years to come, the debate surrounding who’s the greatest of all time will really heat up.
One person not counting out Djokovic’s chances of chasing down the two legends is the recent U.S. Open finalist.
“He has 14 already. He won two Grand Slams in one year. He’s healthy. He has a great team working with him,” pointed out del Potro after losing to Djokovic in straight sets at the U.S. Open. “Novak has everything to make records in this sport.”
Whatever happens from here, the former world No. 1 says in the big scheme of things he’s just happy to be included in the same conversation with Nadal and Federer – and grateful to be part of the same generation as the two legends.
“I had to figure out early in my career, when I was losing most of the big matches on the Grand Slams against them, what it takes for me to actually kind of improve and develop my game to be able to challenge them, to be able to start winning against them when it matters the most,” said Djokovic about his two rivals.
“Maybe 10 years ago I would say I’m not so happy to be part of this era with Nadal and Federer. Actually today I am. I really am. I feel like these guys, rivalries with these guys, matches with Federer and Nadal, have made me the player I am, have shaped me into the player I am today.”
And today, the player who has won the last two Grand Slams is back on top of his game – and simply playing better tennis than anyone else on the planet.
