Greg Rusedski believes Novak Djokovic will end up with 25 Slams, says the Serb is keen to end the GOAT debate once & for all
Novak Djokovic will be the talk of the tennis universe over the next fortnight or so as the US Open rolls around. The final Grand Slam of the year kicks off on Monday, August 30.
With two of the Big 3 -- Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal -- sidelined due to injuries, Djokovic is the heavy favorite to win his 21st Major title. If the Serb lifts the trophy in New York, he would also complete the calendar Grand Slam, having already triumphed at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon.
Greg Rusedski, a former top-five player and US Open finalist, believes Djokovic will go on to win at least five more Majors in his career, thereby becoming the all-time Grand Slam record-holder among men and women. Margaret Court currently holds the all-time record with 24 Majors, while Serena Williams holds the Open Era record with 23 Grand Slam titles.
“I think he will get 25 and become the all-time Slam winner on the men’s and women’s tours, with Margaret Court’s record standing at 24,” Rusedski said in an interview to Tennis365.
"While the GOAT debate will always go on, he will have no questions to answer if he gets five and more ahead of Federer and Nadal. It’s hard to argue against the guy who has done a Calendar Slam and has 25 Grand Slams."
Djokovic has never hidden his desire to break the Grand Slam record. Rusedski, for his part, believes the Serb would want to put enough distance between himself and his rivals Federer and Nadal to end the GOAT debate once and for all.
“Knowing how Novak Djokovic works, he will want to put distance between himself and the other two guys and he wants to end the debate," Rusedski added.
"This is the most pressured Slam Novak Djokovic will go into in his life" - Greg Rusedski
While Djokovic is the odds-on favorite to win his fourth US Open title next month, there is no doubt the Serb will be under enormous pressure considering the stakes on offer.
Not only is he hoping to become the first man in history to win 21 Grand Slams, but he is also attempting to complete the Calendar Grand Slam (winning all four Majors in the same year). This feat was last achieved by Rod Laver in 1969 on the men's side and by Steffi Graf in 1988 on the women's side.
According to Rusedski, the US Open could present Djokovic with his biggest challenge yet.
“This is the most pressured Slam he will go into in his life,” Rusedski said. “Yes there is no Federer or Nadal, but Medvedev is playing great, Tsitsipas and Zverev are playing great, this will be pressure at its highest. This is for No 21, to put him ahead of Roger and Rafa and to give him the Calendar Grand Slam. That’s why this US Open is going to be so special and we wait to see how he deals with it."
Rusedski cited the example of Serena Williams at the 2015 US Open to illustrate his point. The American arrived in New York six years ago with the first three Majors under her belt. However, the pressure of a Calendar Slam got to her and she was stunned by Roberta Vinci in the semifinals.
“We saw what the pressure did to Serena Williams when she tried to complete the calendar Grand Slam in 2015 and in the final matches, it was too much. Pressure can build and build, but he knows the three-out-of-five set format should play into his hands at the US Open,” Rusedski said.