Opinion: Why Novak Djokovic is the Phoenix of tennis
Novak Djokovic reminds you of a phoenix-a sportsman who rises higher every time he falls, an icon who lives every word of the phrase ‘Never Give Up’. The way the Serbian has made a dramatic comeback, outperforming his legendary Rivals- Federer and Nadal to emerge as the World No.1 yet again, has been astounding.
Djokovic is a player of a very different breed compared to someone like a Federer. While Federer makes you gape at him with his artistry, Djokovic wears down his rivals methodically. He is a player blessed with supreme fitness and to compliment that, supreme determination as well. When Djokovic is in his element, no player stands a chance against him. He just pummels his opponent down and gets the better of him.
Djokovic also boats of a superior head to head record against both of his biggest Rivals-Federer and Nadal. While he leads the legendary Spaniard 27-25 in the 52 matches that he has played against him, he also leads the Swiss Maestro 25-22 in their riveting rivalry. He is also only one of the two men in history to have beaten Nadal at the French Open (Robin Soderling being the other one).
When Djokovic started out in 2018, he was ranked a distant 12th, had not won a Grand Slam for the whole of 2017, and lesser mortals had begun to fancy their chances against him. Connoisseurs of Tennis had even turned romantic and predicted that Nadal and Federer would sweep 2018, just as the two icons had split the Grand Slams between them in the previous year.
But, such has been Djokovic’s performance in the second half of 2018, that he swept the Wimbledon and US Open titles this year and most probably will end the year as the reigning World No.1.And to add to all this, he again looks virtually unbeatable.
The Wimbledon semi-final against Nadal this year will go down as one of the toughest victories of Djokovic’s career. With neither man giving an inch, the match swung like a pendulum back and forth for 5 hours and 17 minutes. Djokovic edged past his rival in a riveting encounter with a scoreline of 6-4,3-6,7-6,3-6,10-8. In a match where both these men repeatedly tried to outdo each other and put their endurance levels to the highest test, Djokovic prevailed to put to rest any doubts about his form and fitness.
With him running with the US Open title as well and ending the year as World No.1, there is this anticipation of another Djokovic rein at the top. There is anticipation of another year of dominance from the Serbian legend, and if he continues in the same way, then he would very much spoil any plans of Nadal winning another Grand Slam or Federer having a swansong 2019.