"It's about longevity, the surfaces; it’s Novak Djokovic's record against Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal" - Patrick McEnroe hails Serbian as the GOAT
John McEnroe's brother Patrick has hailed Novak Djokovic as the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) in men's tennis.
Djokovic clinched the 2023 French Open title last weekend, which saw him equal Serena Williams (23) for the most Grand Slams won in the Open Era. It was also his third title in Paris, making him the first man to win all four Majors at least thrice.
Since making his professional debut in 2003, Djokovic has won 94 ATP singles titles, a joint-record six ATP Finals, and a record 38 ATP Masters 1000 titles. Former American pro Patrick McEnroe praised Djokovic for his achievements but stated that the Serbian's genius goes beyond the number of titles he holds.
“Now he's got 23 [Grand Slam titles], it's not all about that for me. He's got 23, the other is 22 [for Rafael Nadal] and 20 for Roger [Federer]. It's about longevity, it's about the surfaces, he's got at least three now at every Major with his third French Open. It’s his record against those other two great guys,” he said on the Holding Court with Patrick McEnroe podcast.
“It's also what I see is his incredible ability to play his best when it matters most. You know, he's beaten them [other players] more than they beat him. To beat him, you got to be at your absolute best. He never plays a bad match in a big spot,” he added.
McEnroe also predicted that Djokovic will head into the Wimbledon Championships, where he is the four-time defending champion, as the favorite.
“I put him as a greatest [player in men's tennis] at 23 but now you've got Wimbledon, where he's going to be a significant favorite. Now that he’s won the French, that just gives him even more confidence. He won’t play any warm-up tournaments. He’ll show up there. He'll just work his way into the tournament,” the former doubles World No. 3 opined.
“There's a handful of guys, I've said this for the last couple years and it's still true, there's only a handful of guys that can even play with them on grass,” he added.
"The conditions are almost always perfect" - Patrick McEnroe explains Novak Djokovic's Australian Open success
Earlier this year, Novak Djokovic triumphed at the Australian Open to tie Rafael Nadal’s record (22) for the most men’s singles Grand Slam titles won. It was also his record-extending 10th title at the Asia Pacific Major, 15 years after his maiden victory Down Under.
Djokovic now has a 28-match win streak in Melbourne, with his championship match record there being 10-0.
Patrick McEnroe believes that while players could trouble Djokovic on hardcourt, the conditions at the Australian Open are perfectly suited for the Serbian, which explains his dominance at the event.
“One of the reasons why he's so much better in his career in Australia is because it's the way the stadium is set up. The conditions are almost always perfect and he's most of the time playing at night, so it's like just perfect ball striking conditions which suit him so. Obviously he can play in anything, he can play in a storm,” he said.