Not many people assumed that tennis star Novak Djokovic would be able to emerge from the shadows of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. However, as things stand currently, with the Serb notching up 23 Majors, scales have tipped in his favor considerably in the debate about the greatest, at least in terms of statistics and trophies. But according to former World No. 3 Ivan Ljubicic, the titles make Djokovic the most successful and not necessarily the greatest.
Understandably, it is difficult for the Croat to be completely impartial in this discussion as he is bound to have a soft corner for his former pupil. He maintained that the impact Roger has had on the sport is unmatched but did admit he was impressed at how far the Serb has come. He admits he was taken by surprise with the amount of success he has achieved given the fact that he’d actually watched the Serb closely very early on in his career.
Ivan Ljubicic impressed with how far Novak Djokovic has come
When asked about his opinion on the GOAT debate, Ivan mentioned that for him there is a difference between which player has had the most impact on the sport as compared to who is the most successful player in the sport. In that regard, Djokovic is the most successful player there is who has played this sport.
He further mentioned that he has been following Novak’s career keenly. Right from the time when he was in the juniors, they would train in the same academy. He added that the Serb was average who did not have the best forehand and even needed improvement in his serve. Ivan did not expect to see Djokovic excel to such a degree back then.
While speaking on this subject, Ljubicic stated,
“But for me, the biggest is the one who has had the biggest impact on the sport. When We talk about the most successful player, it will most certainly be Novak. As a junior, he came to the academy with Ricardo Patti.
“Technically he was average. His backhand was good, his forehand was problematic with an extreme grip. His serve still had a lot of room for improvement. would not have thought at the time that he would become the most successful player in the world. That’s impressive.”
This is a testament to just how much of work the Serb has put into his game. And it is not just his game he has worked on but also other aspects like his mentality and his physicality, adopting a very strict diet that has enabled him to extend his career so deep into his 30s.
Djokovic mentions Roger Federer in Speech
Novak Djokovic was most recently seen at the Wimbledon Championships 2023. Much to his disappointment, he lost in the final to Carlos Alcaraz in five sets. During the post match speeches, both Novak and Carlos brought up Roger Federer. The Serb made a mention of the close matches he’s had, winning some that he “shouldn’t have”.
Even Alcaraz spoke about Federer. He remembered that the eight time champion was denied entry at the All England Club because he forgot to carry his membership card. On winning the title, the Spaniard too has now become a member of the Club. He hilariously vowed not to make the mistake Roger had.
