"Novak Djokovic is still young compared to Roger Federer" - Coach Vajda backs the Serb to break all records
Rafael Nadal's 2020 Roland Garros triumph has brought the tennis universe's attention to the GOAT debate again. Novak Djokovic had a chance to inch closer to Roger Federer, but the 17-time Grand Slam winner is now still three titles away from matching the Swiss legend's tally.
In an interview with Novosti.rs, Novak Djokovic's coach Marian Vajda gave his view on the race between the 'Big 3' and said that he believes the Serbian player would soon overtake Roger Federer. He pointed out that Djokovic has a few more years of tennis left in him than Federer, which gives him an advantage.
Overtaking Roger Federer is Novak Djokovic's goal: Marian Vajda
When asked if Novak Djokovic could overtake Roger Federer in terms of winning the most Grand Slams and staying at the No. 1 ranking for the most weeks, Vajda replied:
"That is his goal and I very much believe that it will happen. He can break all records. And he’s so close to doing that. He is healthy, he is still young compared to Federer, and we all support him in that."
The Slovakian coach also spoke about the recently played French Open final between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Many fans expected Djokovic to win his second Roland Garros title, but Nadal tamed him in straight sets.
Marian Vajda hailed the Spaniard for bringing his 'A' game to the table. At the same time, he reminded everyone that Novak Djokovic remains the No. 1 player in the ATP men's singles rankings.
"It was one of Novak's bad days and the best day for Nadal. But Novak still remains the first in the world. Our team is proud of his great results this year and is happy to work with him, because he still has the motivation to improve in all areas and to be the best player in history!" Vajda added.
Novak Djokovic has taken a short break from tennis. He did not compete in the St. Petersburg Open, but the Serbian player will be back in action next week in Vienna.
Some big names like ATP World Tour Finals winner Stefanos Tsistipas, local lad Dominic Thiem, former US Open runner-up Daniil Medvedev and 2020 Roland Garros semifinalist Diego Schwartzman will fight for the title in Austria. The Vienna Open will begin on 26th October.