"This Rafael Nadal record will stand for a long time" - Fans debate Novak Djokovic's chances of matching Spaniard's record 14 titles at a single Major
Tennis fans on social media recently debated whether Novak Djokovic could win 14 Australian Open titles before retiring to match Rafael Nadal's French Open tally.
Nadal holds the record for most titles at a Grand Slam tournament with 14 trophies at Roland Garros under his belt. He first won the Claycourt Major in 2005 and repeated the feat three more times in 2006, 2007, and 2008. Nadal topped the streak with five consecutive triumphs from 2010 to 2014.
The Spaniard also won the tournament in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. His latest success at the French Open came in 2022, when he defeated Casper Ruud in the final.
On the other hand, Djokovic has won the Australian Open a record 10 times so far. He won the Melbourne Major for the first time in 2008 and succeeded nine more times in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023. He was forced to miss the Major in 2022 due to COVID-19 vaccine mandates in Australia.
The Serb most recently suffered his first-ever defeat in an Australian Open semifinal. He lost 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-3 to eventual champion Jannik Sinner on January 26.
His defeat sparked a debate among tennis fans on Reddit regarding his chances of breaching Nadal's Roland Garros record. A fan claimed it could have been possible if he had won the titles in 2022 and 2024.
"If he hadn’t missed AO due to the vax + won this year then he would’ve had a chance. But it’s not happening anymore," a fan wrote.
A second fan suggested the same, writing:
"No. Essentially zero chance. Even if he won the AO this year, I don't think he would get to 14."
A third, however, argued that it was possible for Djokovic to reach 14 Australian Open titles, saying:
"Never say never with Novak, but this Rafa record will stand for a long time."
Here are a few more reactions:
"We cannot always expect Novak Djokovic to win every Grand Slam" - Viktor Troicki
Former tennis professional and Novak Djokovic's compatriot Viktor Troicki recently stated that assuming the 24-time Grand Slam champion would win every Major tournament is irrational.
He affirmed that Djokovic is capable of playing better than what he produced at the Australian Open 2024.
"I think he can do much better than that and he himself is aware of it. Of course, he is a man and not a machine, we cannot always expect him to win every Grand Slam. Young players are getting better and better, they are freer, they are progressing," he said.
Troicki continued:
"It is not easy to maintain that continuity, and always in top form. That's obvious. Unfortunately, he lost this time, but we all know he doesn't give up and I'm sure he'll be back soon."