The victorious or the controversial? Which version of Djokovic do you see? – 06/16/2023 – Marina Izidro

It was a matter of time. From “when”, not from “if.” With the number 23 embroidered on his red jacket, Novak Djokovic climbed onto a small stage on the central court of Roland Garros to receive the champion’s trophy, last Sunday (11). He looked up at the sky, gave the cup a tight hug, with the smile of someone who knew his record would be safe for at least a generation.

By becoming the biggest male Grand Slam winner and thanking you in perfect French, he surpassed Rafael Nadal’s 22 with 23 titles, who had hip surgery, will be out for several months and has already announced that 2024 could be his last year as a professional. Then comes a list of retirees: Roger Federer, with 20, Pete Sampras, with 14, and so on.

Carlos Alcaraz is the new darling of tennis and he deserves it, but at 20 years old and with a US Open under his belt, he still has a lot of ball to hit. The Serb is nowhere near leaving the courts, but so far what legacy is he leaving? It seems that it depends on the point of view.

When you see him, what image does Djokovic convey to you? That of the 36-year-old athlete with impressive physical and mental preparation? Who always said how being careful with his diet gave him longevity in his career and that he leaves opponents in a panic even before entering the court – especially when you have to beat him in best of five sets?

Do you remember how funny he is doing hilarious imitations of his tennis friends, or how he defends the rights of lower ranking athletes?

Do you admire how your determination and talent made you record for weeks at number one in the world? Do you appreciate how he, right or wrong, is not afraid to speak out on sensitive topics — like when he wrote “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence” at Roland Garros?

Or do you believe that your almost perfect image was irreparably tarnished by denialism during the pandemic? He considers it selfish and almost evil that he not only did not vaccinate himself against Covid-19, but also organized a tennis tournament with fans and a crowd that ended with several infected, including him, at a time when millions around the world were locked down. at home or mourning the loss of friends and family? Is it possible to forgive those who earned the nickname Novax?

On one point I think we can all agree. When asked at the Roland Garros press conference how he felt about becoming the greatest male tennis player in history, he replied that he would not say that because “it would be disrespectful to all champions from different eras”. Better to leave the discussion about who the GOAT is – greatest of all time, or best of all times. Everyone has their favorite, and that’s ok.

If your favorite is Djokovic, I imagine you’re happy to root for someone capable of winning the Australian Open ten times, Roland Garros three times, being seven times Wimbledon champion and three times US Open champion. First tennis player in history to win at least three times each of these tournaments.

If you don’t like him, know that the list of highscores should grow. Wimbledon starts on July 3 with great chances of the Serbian taking the 24th Grand Slam of his career and matching Margaret Court, record holder for singles between men and women.

See if on the London grass Djokovic can win the love of the public, who usually prefer Federer or Nadal. Not that the Serb feels the pressure.

PRESENT LINK: Did you like this text? Subscriber can release five free hits of any link per day. Just click the blue F below.