Novak Djokovic will end up with the most Slams, Rafael Nadal could struggle with his knee: Tim Henman
Former World No. 4 Tim Henman believes that Novak Djokovic will end up with more Grand Slams than current joint-leader Rafael Nadal. The Brit claimed that the Serb holds an advantage given that he is in better shape than the injury-prone Spaniard.
Rafael Nadal recently equaled Roger Federer's all-time tally of 20 Grand Slams by clinching his 13th French Open title. The Mallorcan defeated Novak Djokovic in the final, who remains on 17 Majors after failing to add to his collection since the tour's resumption.
Nevertheless, Tim Henman reckons that Novak Djokovic will have more Majors than both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer by the end of his career. During a recent interview, Henman spoke in glowing terms about the Serb’s physical condition, claiming that that would be vital in helping him outlast Nadal and Federer in the race.
“If I had to choose a player who will win the most Majors, it would still be Novak Djokovic,” Henman said. “I look at his game, his physiognomy, he seems to be in good shape. He could overtake Federer and Nadal."
Henman also cited Rafael Nadal's poor injury record as a reason for his belief. The Brit suggested that Nadal’s long-term knee issues could come back to haunt him as he looks to build a healthy lead over the Serb in the Grand Slam tally.
“I think Rafa's body has suffered a bit with these knee problems,” Henman added.
Why Novak Djokovic may have an easier time than Rafael Nadal in the Slams to come
The most important tournament that could help Rafael Nadal build on his Grand Slam tally is undoubtedly the French Open. With age not on his side, the King of Clay will be hoping to win as many titles as possible on his strongest surface.
On the other hand, Novak Djokovic has a couple of hardcourt Majors to take advantage of, while also having a good chance on the grass of Wimbledon. Yes, Rafael Nadal did triumph at Flushing Meadows in 2019, but it is unlikely that he will continue seeing the same amount of success there in the years to come.
Players like Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev will also keep improving, and there may come a time when they don't have too much difficulty dealing with the Spaniard on hardcourt.
Novak Djokovic meanwhile has a significant advantage on the physical side of things. As Henman pointed out, the Serb is a unique physical specimen and can still outlast younger players in best-of-five matches.
With Dominic Thiem already a proven claycourter and the likes of Andrey Rublev and Stefanos Tsitsipas rapidly improving on red dirt, we can expect them to soon start putting up a tougher fight for Rafael Nadal in Paris. The Spaniard could perhaps add a couple more Majors to his tally, but if the Serb remains fit, it would be unwise to bet against him.