After the confetti cleared, Rod Laver Arena emptied and the lights went out, men’s tennis had two questions answered.
Novak Djokovic was the champion of the 2015 U.S. Open, and Djokovic also dominates the game.
When Roger Federer’s shot went long to end the U.S. Open Final on Sunday, Djokovic glanced over to his box with his finger pointed to his heart.
He had become the eighth player in tennis history to win ten majors.
But with Sunday’s victory over the all-time grand slam leader Roger Federer, new questions can now be asked. For example, can Djokovic actually catch Federer?
We once thought Rafael Nadal was going to be the one to match Federer, after Nadal won his 14th grand slam at the 2014 French Open.
Since then, Djokovic has practically run the table.
Djokovic had a record-breaking year in 2011, finishing the season with three major titles, a 70-6 record and year-end No. 1 ranking.
Tennis legend Pete Sampras called Djokovic’s 2011 campaign “the best he has ever seen in his lifetime.”
This season, Djokovic is 63-5 with seven titles, including three grand slams. Djokovic has also joined Federer and Rod Laver as the only three men to reach all four grand slam finals in a single calendar season, and Djokovic beat Federer in the last three grand slams finals they have played.
Shortly after Djokovic raised his U.S. Open trophy, former tennis star John McEnroe claimed Djokovic to be in the top six players ever to play the game of tennis.
There’s no question that Federer and Nadal are two of the greatest players ever to pick up a racquet, but the game of tennis has never seen a player like Djokovic.
His quickness, speed and ability to slide on the hard court allows him the opportunity to reach balls that no one else in the history of tennis has been able to reach.
“He’s perfected his game on hard court, always been a great clay court player and is now consistent on grass,” Federer said in an interview with ESPN. “To say the least, it’s very impressive.”
Not bad for a guy who use to retire from matches due to heat exhaustion. However, with new conditioning coaches and a drastic change in his diet, Djokovic has been able to improve his game, appearing in 15 of the last 20 grand slams finals dating back to 2011.
Nadal has been dealing with knee injuries since 2014, and even though Federer still astonishes people with his intensity of play, he is still no match for Djokovic.
If Djokovic can stay healthy and continue to play at the level he has been for the past five years, not only will he be the one to pass Federer for most all-time grand slams, but there will be no conversation anymore about who is the greatest tennis player of all-time.
It’s always been Federer and Nadal, but as these two champions face the end of their careers and deserve to march into the history books, they can hear Djokovic’s footsteps behind them.
And they’re louder than ever.
micbhern@indiana.edu
