Rafael Nadal's victory in Australia and his success on hardcourt has recharged Novak Djokovic's thirst for records: Biographer Simone Eterno
While Rafael Nadal's recent success in Australia will spur his great rival Novak Djokovic on, the Serb's brief hiatus from competitive tennis could prove detrimental to his game in the immediate future, according to his biographer Simone Eterno.
The Spaniard went on to add another Australian Open title to his kitty earlier this year, taking advantage of Djokovic's absence after the Serb's visa was revoked.
In his book “Contro. Vita e destino di Novak Djokovic" (Against. Life and destiny of Novak Djokovic), Eterno delved into some of the most intense moments of the Serb's career that defined his extraordinary sporting prowess.
La storia di uno dei più straordinari tennisti raccontata dal giornalista sportivo @Simon_Forever in un’avvincente biografia.
“Contro. Vita e destino di Novak Djokovic” è un'incredibile narrazione sportiva dietro cui si dipana una straordinaria e controversa vicenda umana. https://t.co/6zKJxY0xAS
During an interview about his new book, Eterno dwelt at length on how he thinks the future will play out for the 34-year-old when he is back on the court later this season.
The author felt that while Djokovic's thirst for records will motivate him to go the extra mile, the unwelcome break may impact the Serb's precision on the court.
"Psychologically I don't think it's a problem, tennis inactivity will be. Returning to the field after a long stop and being immediately competitive at a high level is difficult even if your name is Djokovic," Eterno said.
"From a mental point of view, I have no doubts, on the contrary, I believe that Nadal's victory in Australia and the Majorcan's streak of success on hard court has recharged Djokovic's thirst for records even more."
"Instead, I have doubts on the tennis level: having played little will give us a Djokovic to test and maybe vulnerable, as we saw him in Dubai. So his run to the Grand Slam record and the double over Nadal may not be that easy," he added.
Novak Djokovic is a champion in victory and defeat: Simone Eterno
In his book, Eterno drew attention to the Wimbledon final in 2019, when Djokovic battled it out against another all-time great, Roger Federer.
"On 14 July 2019, in London, inside a stadium overflowing with out-of-control spectators, Roger Federer is only one point away from winning his ninth Wimbledon title, his twenty-first success in a Grand Slam tournament," Eterno wrote.
"On the other side of the net, however, there is a player named Novak Djokovic: one who, fighting alone against fifteen thousand people, will be able to overturn an ending that seemed already written; one who in a press conference will say: When the audience shouts: 'Roger! Roger!' what I hear in my head is: 'Novak! Novak'."
The flashbacks Eterno takes the readers through are not restricted to great wins alone, but to agonizing defeats as well. He also dwelled on the 2021 US Open final, where Daniil Medvedev got the better of the Serb, who was aiming to become the first man since Rod Laver to complete a calendar Grand Slam.
Sadly for Djokovic fans, it wasn't his day in New York as he went down in straight sets against the marauding Russian.
"Two years later, in New York, Djokovic competes in the final of the US Open to reach the infamous 21, as well as complete the Grand Slam, an expected goal in tennis for more than 50 years," Eterno writes.
"But he is two sets down and, at the change, the Russian Daniil Medvedev will be used to close the match. In New York, more than anywhere else, Djokovic has never been particularly loved, but here is the imponderable."
Towards the end of the final, when defeat was inevitable, Djokovic received a tremendous ovation from the crowd who rose to applaud him and chant his name. The gesture was too much for the Serb, who broke into tears as the match reached its conclusion.
"The whole stadium rises to applaud him and to chant his name," he continues. "Djokovic beats his hand to his heart, but then he doesn't hold back his tears: he is still crying when he positions himself at the bottom of the field to get to the end of the game from which he will come out defeated."
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