In a press conference ahead of the Paris Masters, Novak Djokovic gave his opinion about the GOAT debate and his position in the race. He took pride in his achievements but declined to participate in the discussion over the ‘Greatest Of All Time’ tag. He dismissed it as unimportant right now, saying he is up for that debate only after retirement.
After winning his 24th Grand Slam at the 2023 US Open, Djokovic was widely hailed as the GOAT of tennis. Long-time rival Rafael Nadal also conceded that the Serb is the ‘greatest in history’. The man himself, though, remains coy about owning the title. Djokovic wants to give his career his undivided focus, pushing any debate into the background.
Apart from his 24 Grand Slams and the triple Career Grand Slam, Novak Djokovic holds a host of other records. He has won the most number of ATP 1000 titles (39) and is the only player to win every single Masters tournament, a feat he has achieved twice. He also holds the record for most weeks as World No.1 and most year-end No.1 finishes. Djokovic’s stunningly long list of records has positioned him as the foremost candidate for the GOAT status.
Djokovic was reminded of his overflowing collection of records and Nadal’s statement in a press conference ahead of the Paris Masters. Asked if he thought of himself as the greatest, now that his biggest rival had admitted the same, the World No.1 rejected the title. He felt pride in Nadal’s words but refused to own the title. Djokovic stated he would let others debate this and not have any say in it.
“No, I’m not going to say I am the greatest player of all times. It’s not up to me to say things like that. I leave it up to others. Obviously, I’m very proud that my greatest rival could say such things, but I leave this discussion to other people.”
He said he was honoured to have those records and be among the best, and that is what he feels is important. Djokovic said he is open to discussing tennis history to figure out a GOAT, but only after he has hung up his boots. He opined while it may be an interesting talking point for everyone, he needs to focus on his ongoing career.
“I’m honoured to be a tennis player who’s writing my own name in the history of tennis, and I’m glad to be at the top right now. That’s the most important thing for me. Then we can discuss at length about the whole history of tennis, but once my career is over we can do it.
“Right now I guess this is very interesting for you, for everyone, all of you who follow tennis. But as far as I’m concerned, that’s not a priority for me. I need to maintain, to focus myself on what is important for me right now.”
The Paris Masters marks Djokovic’s return to the court after a break of around six weeks. He last participated in Serbia’s Davis Cup group stage campaign, days after his record triumph at the 2023 US Open.
Novak Djokovic returning after well-deserved extended break
Djokovic played only one match after his US Open final against Daniil Medvedev. He defeated Roberto Carballes Baena in Serbia’s second Davis Cup group stage tie against Spain on September 15. Since then, the World No.1 has opted to rest. He said enjoyed spending time with his family and following other sports like golf and basketball. Djokovic also featured in the Ryder Cup All-Star match and kept tabs on his local basketball club’s games.
The last three weeks, however, were mostly about training, according to Djokovic. He said he worked on being sharp and well-prepared for the season-ending stretch. He said he missed tennis and competing for titles, sounding confident of performing well in Paris. After the ATP 1000 event, Djokovic will end his official season with the ATP Finals.
