"I still think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't think Novak is the best player in the world" - Andy Roddick on Novak Djokovic
World No. 8 Novak Djokovic has had his share of ups and downs this season and will be utterly disappointed for not having finished the season in the No. 1 position. While the competitive season is still not over, with the ATP Finals ongoing in Turin, the World No. 1 position for 2022 is already secured at the hands of Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz.
Despite the meteoric rise of Alcaraz this year, former tennis player Andy Roddick believes that the 21-time Grand Slam champion is currently the best player in the world. In a conversation on the Tennis Channel, Roddick said:
"I still think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't think Novak [Djokovic] is the best player in the world"
The Serbian finished the 2021 season in the No. 1 position. Owing to his resistance to getting the COVID-19 vaccine, he lost the opportunity to play in several tournaments this year - including the Australian Open and the US Open.
Part-timing the entire season consequently pushed the former World No. 1 to gradually slip down the leaderboard. The 35-year-old produced impressive performances, registering his 38th Masters, 1000 career wins, seventh Wimbledon, and 90th title over the course of the year.
While stating Djokovic's case, Roddick also praised teenager Alcaraz for his phenomenal achievements this year, saying:
"This kid's rise has been meteoric. To get to No.1 that quickly, that's a different story. The no. 1 rank for Alcaraz is well deserved... was unbelievable to watch this year!"
"Wimbledon was such an important tournament for me" - Novak Djokovic on staying motivated despite part-timing the entire season
Novak Djokovic was forced out of several tournaments in 2022 owing to his resistance to taking the COVID-19 vaccine. Despite part-timing the entire season, the 35-year-old's fine form from last year has continued into 2022.
In a press conference at the 2022 ATP Finals, the Serb spoke about how he continued to produce excellent tennis despite not having proper game time.
"Well, I can say that this year was different from all the other years that I had on the tour. Wimbledon was such an important tournament for me, and it always comes really, throughout my career, at exactly the time that I need it to come. It was a huge relief, but at the same time also a huge boost of confidence," Djokovic stated.
The 35-year-old believes that the confidence he gained from clinching his seventh Wimbledon title was crucial in driving him forward for the rest of the season.
"I feel like all the tournaments I played after Wimbledon were played at a high level. I won two out of three and played finals at the third, which was Bercy last week. I started off this tournament well," he explained.